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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: lie · temple · wind · capital · safe · board · ball · lean

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. lean — thin
  4. capital — a city
  5. wind — moving air
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. capital — money
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. board — a committee
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. board — to get on
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lie — to recline
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ball — a great time

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