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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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. capital — money
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. rest — what's left
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rest — what's left
  7. capital — a city
  8. rest — a break
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. suit — to fit
  14. lie — to recline
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. chair — a leader
  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