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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.

Make a worksheet

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: dip · jam · arm · chair · mug · lie · board · capital

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. capital — a city
  2. mug — a cup
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chair — a leader
  7. lie — to recline
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. dip — to sink
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. capital — money
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mug — to rob
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. board — to get on
  22. mug — a face
  23. dip — a sauce
  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