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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 116 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. capital — a city
  5. bass — low music
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. kick — in football
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bass — the fish
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ball — a dance
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. suit — in cards
  16. capital — money
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bore — to tire
  19. ball — a great time
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bore — to drill
  24. capital — a big letter

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