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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · suit · ruler · rest · capital · season

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. firm — steady
  3. rest — what's left
  4. season — of the year
  5. suit — in cards
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rest — what's left
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. suit — to fit
  16. season — in sport
  17. rest — a break
  18. capital — a city

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