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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: wave · lean · mine · pound · capital · temple · press · nail

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. press — newspapers
  3. mine — for digging
  4. press — to push
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — thin
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pound — a weight
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. capital — a city
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. capital — money
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. press — a publisher

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