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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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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: fine · net · fall · capital · lie · pound · rule · stick

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. net — for catching
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. net — in sport
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fall — to drop
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. capital — money
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rule — government
  13. net — after costs
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fine — all right
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fall — the season
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pound — a weight
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. rule — a law
  24. capital — a city

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