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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: capital · leaves · net · chip · lash · stock · bank · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. net — in sport
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. capital — a city
  5. bank — for money
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. rock — music
  8. bank — for money
  9. net — after costs
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. capital — money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. net — for catching
  16. chip — for betting
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. chip — to eat
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. leaves — of a tree

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