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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: file · lie · cap · object · ruler · capital · chest · firm

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. object — an aim
  6. lie — to recline
  7. object — a thing
  8. file — a document
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — decided
  12. chest — a box
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cap — of ice
  16. file — a line of people
  17. chest — of your body
  18. file — a tool
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. object — to protest
  22. chest — of your body
  23. capital — money
  24. firm — steady

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