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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: toast · lie · coach · suit · file · deal · capital · hide

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. suit — in cards
  5. capital — a city
  6. lie — to recline
  7. suit — to fit
  8. file — a line of people
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. deal — to handle
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. suit — clothes
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. file — a tool
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — bread
  23. file — a document
  24. deal — a big deal

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