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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: bank · suit · stand · rule · capital · branch

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rule — government
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. capital — money
  13. rule — a law
  14. bank — for money
  15. branch — a division
  16. capital — a city
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stand — on your feet

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