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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 120 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: coach · suit · can · land · fan · capital · bank · stand

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bank — of a river
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. capital — money
  6. can — a tin
  7. stand — to bear
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. can — a tin
  10. capital — a city
  11. bank — for money
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — a country
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. suit — clothes
  20. land — ground
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bank — for money
  24. coach — a trainer

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