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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 · degree · can · dip · net · capital · last · ruler

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. net — in sport
  5. last — to go on
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. capital — a city
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. degree — temperature
  12. can — a tin
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. net — after costs
  15. last — finally
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. degree — an amount
  19. net — for catching
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. degree — from a university
  22. capital — money
  23. dip — to sink
  24. last — final

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