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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 124 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. lean — thin
  3. lie — to recline
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. firm — steady
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pop — soda
  9. fine — high quality
  10. firm — decided
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. firm — a company
  17. capital — a city
  18. current — of water
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pop — music
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pop — to visit

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