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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · ground · capital · fan · bass · mark · bear · stick

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. last — final
  3. capital — a city
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mark — a grade
  6. last — to go on
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. capital — money
  12. last — finally
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. ground — a position
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bass — low music
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com