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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · fork · bore · content · rush · toast · capital · firm

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. content — happy
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. toast — bread
  11. fork — in a road
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bore — to drill
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. firm — steady
  16. capital — a city
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. firm — a company
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rush — hurry
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bore — to tire
  23. content — the amount
  24. firm — decided

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