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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: leaves · deal · row · lie · sharp · rash · capital · current

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. deal — to handle
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. sharp — clever
  6. current — happening now
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. row — to paddle
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. current — electric
  15. current — of water
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — hasty
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. capital — a city
  20. capital — money
  21. lie — to recline
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. row — a quarrel

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