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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
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 · spell · lash · capital · pass · lie · court · object

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. capital — money
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. court — of a king
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spell — magic
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. object — a thing
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. court — for sport
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. capital — a city
  18. object — an aim
  19. spell — a short time
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. spell — letters
  23. object — to protest
  24. lie — to recline

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