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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 · board · band · fine · suit · present · chair · rest

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rest — what's left
  4. suit — in cards
  5. capital — a city
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. board — to get on
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. present — the time now
  17. chair — a leader
  18. present — there
  19. present — a gift
  20. capital — money
  21. band — a music group
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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