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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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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 · rest · firm · cap · bay · present · patient · bark

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. present — the time now
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. cap — of ice
  7. capital — a city
  8. rest — what's left
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rest — what's left
  12. capital — money
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. firm — decided
  15. present — there
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. present — a gift
  21. firm — a company
  22. bark — to shout
  23. firm — steady
  24. cap — a lid

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