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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: temple · capital · pitcher · nail · hide · bore · foot · file

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. capital — money
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bore — to tire
  12. file — a tool
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. file — a document
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bore — to drill
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. capital — a city

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