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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · arm · spell · squash · temple · capital · hide · suit

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. squash — the sport
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. capital — money
  12. suit — in cards
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. squash — to crush
  16. spell — magic
  17. suit — to fit
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — clothes
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. arm — part of the body
  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