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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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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: craft · stock · pit · capital · suit · bank

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bank — for money
  5. capital — a city
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. capital — money
  12. stock — shares
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. suit — in cards
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. suit — clothes
  18. craft — a handicraft

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