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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. tear — to rip
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — a group
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. capital — money
  11. club — for golf
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. tear — from crying
  18. capital — a city
  19. sharp — clever
  20. charge — in control
  21. tear — from crying
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bank — for money
  24. sharp — exactly

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