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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 120 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: track · pass · fan · capital · bank · suit · straw · court

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. court — of law
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. track — a song
  8. suit — to fit
  9. capital — a city
  10. bank — for money
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. capital — money
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. track — to keep track
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. court — of a king
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. track — a path
  24. court — for sport

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