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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: pit · board · trunk · bank · can · hand · toast · capital

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. board — a committee
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. toast — bread
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. capital — a city
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. can — a tin
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. board — to get on
  13. bank — for money
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — in cards
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pit — in a race
  20. can — to be able to
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. can — a tin

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