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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: drill · wave · track · temple · suit · cap · capital · lie

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. cap — of ice
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. track — a path
  5. suit — in cards
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. drill — a practice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. track — a song
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. capital — a city
  13. lie — to recline
  14. capital — money
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cap — a lid
  18. track — to keep track
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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