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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
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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 · capital · calf · lie · plane · can · tear · cap

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. lie — to recline
  4. cap — a lid
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. can — to be able to
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. capital — money
  14. cap — a hat
  15. plane — a tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. tear — from crying
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. cap — of ice
  23. capital — a big letter
  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