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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 · stick · ball · lash · bass · bore · shower · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. shower — rain
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bore — to tire
  7. file — a line of people
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bass — the fish
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. capital — a city
  18. ball — a great time
  19. shower — to wash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bore — to drill
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. file — a tool
  24. capital — 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