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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.

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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: stick · wave · capital · ruler · rock · mark · present · land

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. land — to come down
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. present — there
  8. capital — a city
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. capital — money
  11. mark — a grade
  12. present — the time now
  13. land — a country
  14. rock — a stone
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. land — ground
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mark — a trace
  22. present — a gift
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rock — to move gently

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