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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bound — certain
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. capital — a city
  6. wound — an injury
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wound — an injury
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bound — obliged
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bank — for money
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bank — of a river
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bank — for money
  20. rock — music
  21. capital — money
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. sharp — clever
  24. hide — to keep secret

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