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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · leaves · content · deal · bound · capital · lie · cap

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cap — a lid
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cap — a hat
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. capital — a city
  12. capital — money
  13. deal — to handle
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. board — to get on
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. content — happy
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bound — certain
  24. board — a committee

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