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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: bound · capital · bank · mug · pound · wave · fine · lie

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bank — of a river
  3. capital — money
  4. mug — a cup
  5. fine — all right
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. lie — to recline
  15. mug — a face
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bank — for money
  20. capital — a city
  21. bound — certain
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bank — for money
  24. bound — tied together

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