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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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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: sharp · lie · arm · capital · fan · cue · dip · bank

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bank — of a river
  3. capital — a city
  4. cue — a signal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. capital — money
  9. dip — to sink
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bank — for money
  16. cue — for pool
  17. sharp — clever
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cue — a hint
  21. lie — to recline
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bank — for money
  24. sharp — exactly

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