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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. pound — a weight
  3. object — a thing
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fine — high quality
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. object — an aim
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. rash — a series
  20. capital — a city
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. object — to protest
  24. safe — a strongbox

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