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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.

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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 · cell · clip · stick · safe · temple · club · lash

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. capital — money
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. cell — a phone
  7. club — a group
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. clip — for paper
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. capital — a city
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. clip — to cut
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — for golf
  19. cell — in biology
  20. clip — a video
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lash — to lash out

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