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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: bear · spell · can · row · capital · cabinet · pitch · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. can — to be able to
  5. capital — money
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. capital — a city
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. can — a tin
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. row — a line
  17. can — a tin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — letters
  24. cabinet — ministers

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