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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bank — for money
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. firm — a company
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. capital — a city
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rule — a law
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bank — of a river
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. capital — money
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided
  19. rule — government
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bank — for money
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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