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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.

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: bank · cue · ball · club · lie · sharp · lash · capital

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bank — for money
  7. capital — money
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. club — for dancing
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a great time
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. club — a group
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — a city
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. club — for golf
  24. cue — for pool

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