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

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. capital — a city
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kick — in football
  6. bank — of a river
  7. track — a song
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bank — for money
  10. suit — clothes
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. track — to keep track
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. track — a path
  15. suit — in cards
  16. capital — money
  17. suit — to fit
  18. band — a ring
  19. bank — for money
  20. band — a music group
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. jam — a tight spot

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