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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: spring · suit · trunk · cabinet · kick · lie · capital · bound

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. capital — a city
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bound — obliged
  5. spring — the season
  6. capital — money
  7. suit — in cards
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. suit — to fit
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bound — certain
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. spring — of water
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bound — tied together
  20. kick — in football
  21. suit — clothes
  22. spring — a coil
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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