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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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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: stick · rule · dip · lie · nail · wave · capital · deal

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. capital — a city
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. capital — money
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rule — government
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. dip — to sink
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lie — to recline
  23. deal — to handle
  24. wave — of the sea

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