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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: lie · dip · sharp · perch · rest · capital · net · key

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. net — for catching
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. perch — the fish
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. capital — a city
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rest — what's left
  12. key — the most important part
  13. net — in sport
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rest — a break
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. sharp — clever
  19. net — after costs
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. key — for a lock
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. key — in music

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