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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: leaves · bore · foot · pound · suit · bank · spell · capital

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. pound — a weight
  3. suit — to fit
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. capital — money
  7. spell — a short time
  8. suit — clothes
  9. foot — a measure
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. capital — a city
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. spell — magic
  15. bank — for money
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bank — for money
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bank — of a river

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