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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: temple · capital · bank · date · foot · wave · field · suit

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bank — for money
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. foot — a measure
  9. suit — clothes
  10. capital — a city
  11. bank — for money
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. field — for sport
  17. suit — to fit
  18. capital — money
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. field — farmland
  22. field — a subject
  23. bank — of a river
  24. foot — the bottom

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