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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: bound · capital · pound · fan · wax · suit · hide · pit

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bound — certain
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pit — a hole
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wax — to grow
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pound — a weight
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bound — obliged
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. suit — clothes
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bound — tied together
  22. capital — a city
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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