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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 · mug · perch · stand · band · suit · wake · kick

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. kick — in football
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. mug — a face
  8. suit — in cards
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. capital — money
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. perch — the fish
  16. mug — a cup
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mug — to rob
  21. stand — to bear
  22. capital — a city
  23. band — a music group
  24. perch — for a bird

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