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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: track · firm · stand · fork · lash · cap · tube · capital

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. stand — to bear
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. cap — a hat
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. tube — a container
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. track — a song
  16. cap — of ice
  17. firm — a company
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — money
  20. track — to keep track
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. tube — the underground
  24. track — a path

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