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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: fine · bank · hide · fall · rush · capital · mark · deal

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. mark — a trace
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. capital — money
  9. deal — to handle
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. rush — hurry
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bank — for money
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bank — of a river
  21. capital — a city
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fine — all right

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