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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: capital · bank · rush · suit · coach · stock · arm · racket

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. capital — a city
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stock — goods
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stock — shares
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. suit — clothes
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bank — for money
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bank — of a river
  24. capital — money

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