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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: lie · fine · capital · board · band · press · deal · temple

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. capital — money
  3. band — a music group
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. deal — to handle
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. band — a ring
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — to get on
  11. press — a publisher
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. board — a committee
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. capital — a city
  17. fine — high quality
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — to push
  24. deal — a big deal

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