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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 120 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: bulb · suit · lean · capital · land · lie · cap · staff

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. suit — clothes
  3. staff — employees
  4. bulb — for light
  5. staff — a stick
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. land — a country
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. cap — of ice
  11. capital — money
  12. capital — a city
  13. staff — employees
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — ground
  16. cap — a lid
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. suit — in cards
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lean — thin
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cap — a hat

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