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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
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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: arm · racket · capital · patient · lie · current · board · tube

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. capital — money
  3. current — of water
  4. capital — a city
  5. current — electric
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. board — to get on
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. tube — a container
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. current — happening now
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. board — a committee
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. racket — for tennis

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