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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.

Make a worksheet

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: capital · straw · temple · leaves · wave · season · board · field

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. capital — money
  2. field — a subject
  3. field — for sport
  4. board — to get on
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. capital — a city
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. season — in sport
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. field — farmland
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. board — a committee
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. season — of the year
  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