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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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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 · racket · bear · wave · stick · capital · lie · track

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. capital — money
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. track — a song
  4. track — a path
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. capital — a city
  15. lie — to recline
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bear — the animal
  23. track — to keep track
  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