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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: wave · rash · capital · suit · foot · saw · mark · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. suit — to fit
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. capital — a city
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mark — a grade
  11. capital — money
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mark — a trace
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rash — hasty
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. wave — of the sea

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