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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. firm — a company
  4. deal — to handle
  5. cap — a hat
  6. vault — a safe
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. net — after costs
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. firm — decided
  12. chip — to eat
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. capital — a city
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. capital — money
  17. net — in sport
  18. lie — to recline
  19. firm — steady
  20. chip — for betting
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — of ice
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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