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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: bank · charge · suit · fine · wax · key · spell · capital

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bank — for money
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. charge — in control
  6. suit — to fit
  7. spell — letters
  8. capital — a city
  9. bank — for money
  10. spell — a short time
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bank — of a river
  13. charge — a price
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wax — to grow
  18. capital — money
  19. key — in music
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. charge — electricity
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. fine — all right

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