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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · temple · capital · spell · plane · sharp · rest · ball

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ball — a dance
  3. can — a tin
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. rest — what's left
  6. plane — a tool
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. can — a tin
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. ball — a great time
  12. spell — magic
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. capital — money
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. capital — a city
  17. spell — letters
  18. sharp — clever
  19. spell — a short time
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rest — a break
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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