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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: object · date · bank · capital · firm · cap · ruler · field

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. object — to protest
  7. firm — steady
  8. bank — for money
  9. capital — money
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cap — a hat
  12. object — a thing
  13. field — farmland
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. firm — decided
  16. capital — a city
  17. firm — a company
  18. field — a subject
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. field — for sport
  21. date — the fruit
  22. cap — of ice
  23. object — an aim
  24. cap — a lid

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