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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: prune · charge · bank · capital · net · safe · land · suit

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bank — for money
  3. land — to come down
  4. charge — electricity
  5. net — for catching
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. suit — in cards
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. bank — of a river
  13. charge — a price
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. suit — to fit
  16. capital — money
  17. suit — clothes
  18. capital — a city
  19. land — a country
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bank — for money
  23. land — ground
  24. safe — a strongbox

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