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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · capital · mate · current · lie · fan · bank · chair

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. chair — a leader
  2. current — happening now
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mate — a friend
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bank — for money
  11. current — electric
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. lie — to recline
  14. capital — a city
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mate — to breed
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. capital — money
  22. current — of water
  23. fan — a supporter
  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