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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: wind · cabinet · bear · suit · pound · capital

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. capital — money
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bear — the animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wind — moving air
  14. capital — a city
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bear — to put up with

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