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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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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: capital · lie · lean · rock · rest · suit · current · branch

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. capital — money
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. current — happening now
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. suit — in cards
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lean — thin
  15. branch — a division
  16. rock — a stone
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rest — what's left
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rest — a break
  21. capital — a city
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lie — to recline
  24. branch — of a tree

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