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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: stick · capital · band · bank · bear · lean · cabinet · suit

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. capital — a city
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. lean — thin
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bear — the animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. band — a ring
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. capital — money
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. band — a music group
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bear — the animal

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