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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: capital · toast · cell · suit · kick · rule · dip · bank

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cell — in biology
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bank — for money
  6. suit — clothes
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. bank — for money
  9. cell — a phone
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. rule — a law
  12. bank — of a river
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rule — government
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. capital — money
  18. suit — in cards
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — bread
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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