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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · lie · capital · wax · sharp · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. sharp — clever
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. capital — money
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. lie — to recline
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. capital — a city
  17. rash — hasty
  18. wax — to grow

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