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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 116 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 · bay · band · staff · mate · bound · stand · last

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. capital — a city
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bound — certain
  7. last — finally
  8. last — final
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. mate — to breed
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. capital — money
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stand — to bear
  20. band — a music group
  21. mate — a partner
  22. last — to go on
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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