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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. capital — a city
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. capital — money
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — a weight
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bank — for money
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bank — for money

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