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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
468
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: capital · stand · drill · face · bark · object · racket · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. capital — money
  4. drill — a practice
  5. capital — a city
  6. object — an aim
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bark — to shout
  9. stand — to bear
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. drill — the tool
  12. face — part of the head
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. face — to point toward
  19. object — to protest
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. drill — army training
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. face — to confront
  24. object — a thing

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