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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.

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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: lean · capital · ruler · squash · temple · rest · net · suit

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. capital — money
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. net — in sport
  6. lean — thin
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. capital — a city
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. net — for catching
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rest — what's left
  19. suit — clothes
  20. net — after costs
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. suit — in cards

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