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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · spell · march · capital · rule · bank · bat · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bank — for money
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bank — for money
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bat — the animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rule — a law
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. spell — magic
  15. capital — money
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — of a river
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. march — the month
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. rule — government
  22. spell — letters
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. 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