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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: drill · capital · pound · fine · cap · tear · suit · bound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — tied together
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. fine — all right
  8. cap — of ice
  9. capital — money
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. tear — to rip
  13. cap — a lid
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fine — high quality
  16. tear — from crying
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cap — a hat
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — army training
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bound — certain
  24. capital — a city

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