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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. capital — money
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. key — in music
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. capital — a city
  17. board — to get on
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. key — for a lock
  20. board — a committee
  21. bear — the animal
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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