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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cap — of ice
  6. suit — clothes
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. cap — a hat
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. scale — in music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bank — of a river
  16. capital — a city
  17. chair — a leader
  18. branch — a division
  19. capital — money
  20. scale — size or range
  21. can — a tin
  22. cap — a lid
  23. suit — to fit
  24. can — a tin

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