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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: tube · cap · suit · cold · ball · temple · root · bound

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bound — tied together
  4. cold — an illness
  5. cap — of ice
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. tube — the underground
  9. root — the cause
  10. bound — obliged
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. root — of a plant
  15. cold — not warm
  16. bound — certain
  17. root — of a word
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ball — a dance
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cap — a hat
  23. tube — a container
  24. ball — a great time

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