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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bank — for money
  4. race — a contest
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. capital — money
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. capital — a city
  12. race — the arms race
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. race — humankind
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. lie — to recline

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