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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.

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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bank — for money
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. wax — to grow
  11. object — a thing
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. suit — in cards
  14. court — of a king
  15. capital — a city
  16. court — of law
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. object — to protest
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. object — an aim
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. court — for sport

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