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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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: lie · bark · press · wake · bore · wave · capital · stand

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. lie — to recline
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — to push
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. capital — a city
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bore — to drill

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