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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: track · suit · cabinet · capital · can · toast · pound · temple

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. can — a tin
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. capital — a city
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. toast — bread
  7. suit — in cards
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. can — a tin
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. track — to keep track
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pound — a weight
  16. track — a song
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. track — a path
  20. can — to be able to
  21. capital — money
  22. suit — to fit
  23. capital — a big letter
  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