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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rule — a law
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. capital — a city
  5. charge — electricity
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rule — government
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. branch — a division
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. capital — money
  15. bank — for money
  16. content — the amount
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. bank — for money
  23. lie — to recline
  24. content — happy

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