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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: wake · board · capital · fork · dip · hide · mark · row

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. row — to paddle
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. dip — to sink
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. fork — in a road
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. row — a line
  11. board — to get on
  12. wake — a trail
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — money
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. board — a committee

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