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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: cue · bay · bank · fine · racket · rock · rash · capital

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cue — a hint
  3. rash — a series
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bank — of a river
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. rock — music
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — hasty
  16. capital — money
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bank — for money
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fine — all right
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bank — for money
  24. capital — a city

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