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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
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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: deal · temple · hide · foot · march · shower · can · capital

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. foot — a measure
  5. capital — a city
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. shower — to wash
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. can — to be able to
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. can — a tin
  17. shower — rain
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. march — the month
  20. can — a tin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. capital — money
  24. foot — part of the body

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