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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.

Make a worksheet

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: temple · object · bowl · fine · staff · capital · dip · tube

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. object — an aim
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. capital — money
  5. tube — a container
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. object — to protest
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. object — a thing
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. staff — employees
  15. fine — all right
  16. capital — a city
  17. staff — employees
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. staff — a stick
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. fine — high quality

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