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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: capital · mug · wake · stick · racket · stem · wind · pass

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mug — a face
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. capital — a city
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wind — moving air
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stem — to come from
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. racket — a loud noise

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