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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: capital · mug · field · ruler · ball · temple · rest · file

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. file — a line of people
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. capital — a city
  6. mug — a face
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rest — what's left
  11. ball — a dance
  12. field — for sport
  13. file — a document
  14. field — farmland
  15. ball — a great time
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. mug — to rob
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rest — a break
  22. field — a subject
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. file — a tool

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