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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · capital · plane · can · row · swing · lash · object

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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. lash — a whip stroke
  2. row — to paddle
  3. capital — money
  4. row — a line
  5. swing — music
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. plane — a tool
  8. object — an aim
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. swing — to play on
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. can — a tin
  14. capital — a city
  15. swing — in golf
  16. can — a tin
  17. content — the amount
  18. object — a thing
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. object — to protest
  22. can — to be able to
  23. content — happy
  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