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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lie — to recline
  4. capital — money
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pass — a permit
  9. spell — magic
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. file — a line of people
  12. capital — a city
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. file — a tool
  15. lean — thin
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. file — a document
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — a short time
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lean — to bend

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