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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 · bank · rush · craft · wake · face · cue · bore

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bank — for money
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. capital — a city
  7. bank — for money
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. wake — a trail
  15. face — to confront
  16. craft — boats
  17. bore — to tire
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. face — part of the head
  22. capital — money
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bank — of a river

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