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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: bank · chair · bound · mate · coach · nail · mug · capital

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mug — a cup
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bank — for money
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bound — certain
  11. bank — for money
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. capital — money
  14. mug — a face
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — a friend
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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