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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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468
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: stand · field · capital · rush · rock · bore · fan · present

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. capital — a city
  3. present — the time now
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bore — to drill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. field — a subject
  11. present — there
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bore — to tire
  14. field — for sport
  15. capital — money
  16. rush — hurry
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rock — music
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. present — a gift
  23. stand — to bear
  24. field — farmland

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