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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: capital · wound · bulb · coach · temple · plane · ruler · pound

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wound — an injury
  7. plane — a tool
  8. capital — money
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bulb — for light
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. capital — a city
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wound — an injury
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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