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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: last · capital · can · bank · tube · toast · lie · deal

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a city
  3. bank — of a river
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. can — a tin
  6. deal — to handle
  7. last — final
  8. tube — a container
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bank — for money
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bank — for money
  13. last — to go on
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. can — a tin
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. lie — to recline
  19. last — finally
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. toast — bread

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