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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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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: leaves · stick · bank · capital · ruler · spring · file · stand

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bank — for money
  4. file — a document
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spring — a coil
  10. capital — a city
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. capital — money
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bank — of a river
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stand — to bear
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a tool
  21. spring — the season
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bank — for money
  24. stand — for spectators

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