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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: suit · lash · present · scale · wound · pound · foot · capital

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. scale — in music
  5. wound — an injury
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. present — there
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. suit — clothes
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. suit — in cards
  15. scale — size or range
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. foot — a measure
  18. capital — a city
  19. present — a gift
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. present — the time now
  24. pound — a weight

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