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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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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: capital · bank · racket · suit · bore · rule

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bank — for money
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rule — a law
  8. capital — a city
  9. suit — in cards
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bank — for money
  13. rule — government
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. suit — to fit
  16. capital — money
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bore — to drill

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