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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. tube — a container
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. capital — a city
  8. mark — a grade
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. can — a tin
  11. capital — money
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. dip — to sink
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mark — a trace
  17. can — to be able to
  18. tube — the underground
  19. board — to get on
  20. pound — a weight
  21. can — a tin
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. board — a committee
  24. temple — side of the head

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