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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 120 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: temple · staff · capital · fine · wound · bound · mate · dip

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. mate — to breed
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. capital — money
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mate — a friend
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. fine — high quality
  10. capital — a city
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. staff — a stick
  14. wound — an injury
  15. staff — employees
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fine — all right
  19. staff — employees
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. wound — an injury

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