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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: cap · club · bank · suit · hand · leaves · face · season

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. face — to point toward
  4. season — of the year
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cap — a hat
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — for dancing
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. face — to confront
  15. season — in sport
  16. cap — a lid
  17. hand — in cards
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. face — part of the head
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. hand — help
  22. cap — of ice
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. club — a group

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