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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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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: can · wound · bank · pass · suit · stick · capital · rest

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. suit — clothes
  5. can — a tin
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bank — for money
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bank — of a river
  10. can — a tin
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rest — a break
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bank — for money
  18. rest — what's left
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a city
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wound — an injury

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