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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: capital · object · mark · branch · fine · clip · suit · pass

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. clip — a video
  3. object — to protest
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. fine — high quality
  6. capital — a city
  7. object — a thing
  8. branch — a division
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. suit — to fit
  14. object — an aim
  15. capital — money
  16. pass — a permit
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mark — a trace
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. clip — to cut
  21. clip — for paper
  22. fine — all right
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mark — to pay attention

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