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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. suit — in cards
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bank — for money
  7. capital — a city
  8. rock — a stone
  9. chair — a leader
  10. capital — money
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a ring
  14. firm — steady
  15. ground — crushed
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bank — for money
  18. suit — clothes
  19. firm — a company
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. firm — decided

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