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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: tube · suit · bank · last · cap · snap · fine · leaves

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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. tube — the underground
  2. cap — a lid
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. last — final
  7. fine — high quality
  8. suit — clothes
  9. last — finally
  10. cap — a hat
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bank — for money
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. cap — of ice
  17. fine — all right
  18. last — to go on
  19. tube — a container
  20. bank — for money
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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