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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
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: lie · kick · rash · chip · bulb · capital · fine · sharp

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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 — money
  2. fine — all right
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. capital — a city
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. kick — in football
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bulb — for light
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. chip — for betting
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rash — a series
  19. chip — to eat
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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