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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: charge · suit · file · capital · vault · lie · lean · kick

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. suit — in cards
  3. file — a document
  4. kick — in football
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lean — thin
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. lean — to bend
  9. capital — a city
  10. lie — to recline
  11. charge — electricity
  12. suit — clothes
  13. charge — a price
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. capital — money
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. charge — in control
  21. file — a line of people
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. kick — with a leg

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