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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cap · temple · bear · capital · bound · club · rule · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. capital — money
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rule — government
  9. bound — certain
  10. club — a group
  11. cap — a lid
  12. rule — a law
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. capital — a city
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — obliged
  22. club — for dancing
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. club — for golf

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