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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: cap · lean · bear · capital · mug · stock · wave · bay

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stock — goods
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cap — a hat
  9. capital — money
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lean — thin
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mug — to rob
  17. cap — of ice
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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