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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: stand · stick · capital · rush · content · wave · kid · dip

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. capital — a city
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. kid — child
  6. capital — money
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rush — hurry
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. content — the amount
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. dip — to sink
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stand — to bear
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. kid — to tease
  24. content — happy

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