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

Word bank: lie · nail · capital · wave · ruler · content · trunk · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. lie — to recline
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. capital — money
  6. capital — a city
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. content — the amount
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. content — happy
  24. ruler — for measuring

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