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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: temple · object · capital · rule · bear · straw

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bear — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. capital — a city
  11. rule — government
  12. bear — the animal
  13. capital — money
  14. rule — a law
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — to protest
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. straw — to clutch at straws

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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