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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: rule · arm · capital · lie · firm · current · content · stand

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. capital — money
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rule — a law
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. firm — decided
  7. current — electric
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. firm — steady
  11. current — happening now
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. content — happy
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rule — government
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. capital — a city
  20. current — of water
  21. firm — a company
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. content — the amount

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