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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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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: hide · bank · leaves · rush · board · tube · roll · capital

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bank — for money
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. capital — money
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. tube — the underground
  14. roll — a list
  15. bank — for money
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a cake
  18. board — a committee
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bank — of a river
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rush — hurry
  23. tube — a container
  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