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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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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: capital · snap · swing · staff · ground · bank · racket · rest

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. rest — what's left
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. bank — for money
  5. ground — the earth
  6. staff — employees
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rest — what's left
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. staff — a stick
  11. rest — a break
  12. bank — of a river
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bank — for money
  15. staff — employees
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. ground — crushed
  18. snap — to click
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. capital — a city
  21. ground — a position
  22. swing — music
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. swing — in golf

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