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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. capital — a city
  12. rock — music
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. rock — a stone
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. capital — money
  18. lash — to lash out

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