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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: mug · rash · wound · stand · pop · temple · key · capital

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mug — a cup
  5. key — in music
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. key — for a lock
  8. pop — soda
  9. capital — a city
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rash — a series
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stand — to bear
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pop — to visit
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mug — a face
  21. rash — hasty
  22. capital — money
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pop — music

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