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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.

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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: lie · capital · cell · calf · board · content · dip · object

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. dip — to sink
  6. object — an aim
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. content — happy
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. cell — in biology
  15. object — to protest
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. capital — a city
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cell — a phone
  21. content — the amount
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. object — a thing

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