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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: capital · rash · mug · staff · lie · nail · current · hand

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. capital — money
  5. staff — employees
  6. capital — a city
  7. mug — a face
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. mug — a cup
  10. hand — help
  11. current — electric
  12. lie — to recline
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. rash — a series
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. hand — in cards
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rash — hasty
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. staff — a stick
  21. current — happening now
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. current — of water
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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