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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
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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: bank · board · ground · arm · date · suit · capital · object

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bank — for money
  3. board — to get on
  4. object — an aim
  5. board — a committee
  6. bank — of a river
  7. capital — money
  8. date — the fruit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. capital — a city
  17. object — a thing
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ground — a position
  20. suit — clothes
  21. object — to protest
  22. bank — for money
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. date — on the calendar

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