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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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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 · bay · firm · content · bore · pass · temple · craft

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. capital — money
  3. firm — a company
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. content — happy
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bore — to drill
  11. capital — a city
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. firm — steady
  14. bore — to tire
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. firm — decided
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. craft — a handicraft

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