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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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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: bank · shower · chair · suit · safe · capital · object · fork

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. capital — money
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bank — for money
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bank — of a river
  9. suit — in cards
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. suit — to fit
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bank — for money
  14. shower — to wash
  15. object — a thing
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — a leader
  18. shower — rain
  19. object — an aim
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. capital — a city
  23. object — to protest
  24. safe — out of danger

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