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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: board · bore · lie · bank · cap · key · pop · temple

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. cap — of ice
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bore — to tire
  5. cap — a lid
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bank — for money
  8. lie — to recline
  9. board — to get on
  10. pop — music
  11. key — in music
  12. board — a committee
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pop — soda
  15. bank — for money
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bank — of a river
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bore — gave birth

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