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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: foot · suit · bank · chair · capital · mine · calf · safe

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bank — of a river
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. foot — a measure
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. capital — a city
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. chair — a leader
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bank — for money
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. suit — clothes
  19. capital — money
  20. bank — for money
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mine — for digging
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. chair — a professorship

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