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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. charge — a price
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rash — a series
  8. bank — for money
  9. craft — boats
  10. charge — in control
  11. present — there
  12. suit — to fit
  13. present — the time now
  14. tear — from crying
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. tear — to rip
  17. capital — a city
  18. bank — of a river
  19. tear — from crying
  20. present — a gift
  21. charge — electricity
  22. suit — clothes
  23. capital — money
  24. bank — for money

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