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

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. cue — for pool
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — moving air
  14. capital — a city
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cue — a signal
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. cue — a hint
  24. leaves — of a tree

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