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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: face · nail · present · fall · capital · suit · bank · lean

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bank — of a river
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bank — for money
  7. fall — to drop
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a city
  10. present — a gift
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. face — part of the head
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. present — there
  18. suit — clothes
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — to point toward
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lean — thin
  23. bank — for money
  24. fall — the season

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