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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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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: fine · bore · capital · stick · wax · temple · board · calf

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fine — all right
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. board — a committee
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. capital — a city
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. fine — high quality
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wax — to grow
  21. board — to get on
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bore — to tire

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