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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
468
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: capital · ball · wound · bear · press · tube · bass · lash

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bass — low music
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. capital — money
  13. wound — an injury
  14. press — a publisher
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bass — the fish
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. press — to push
  20. wound — an injury
  21. capital — a city
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ball — a great time

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