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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 116 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 · coach · chip · hide · cap · staff · lash

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. capital — a city
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. cap — a lid
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. staff — employees
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. staff — employees
  18. cap — of ice
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. capital — money
  21. chip — to eat
  22. staff — a stick
  23. cap — a hat
  24. lash — an eyelash

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