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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · can · spring · firm · bank · capital · trunk · racket

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bank — for money
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — money
  6. rule — government
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. can — to be able to
  9. spring — the season
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bank — of a river
  14. can — a tin
  15. spring — of water
  16. can — a tin
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. rule — a law
  22. bank — for money
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. racket — a loud noise

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