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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.

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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: ground · hide · capital · bore · rash · bound · foot · cabinet

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. rash — a series
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — certain
  8. capital — money
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rash — hasty
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ground — the earth
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — crushed
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. capital — a city
  24. cabinet — ministers

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