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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: nail · toast · capital · press · temple · ruler

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. press — newspapers
  4. capital — a city
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. capital — money
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. press — a publisher
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. press — to push
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. toast — bread
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch

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