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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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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: staff · capital · stand · root · present · key · bank · rule

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rule — government
  4. present — a gift
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bank — for money
  7. root — the cause
  8. staff — employees
  9. present — there
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. key — for a lock
  12. staff — employees
  13. present — the time now
  14. root — of a word
  15. capital — money
  16. rule — a law
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bank — of a river
  21. capital — a city
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. root — of a plant

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