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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 120 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: capital · rash · bore · track · game · craft · season · lash

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. game — a match
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bore — to drill
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rash — a series
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. track — a path
  13. bore — to tire
  14. track — a song
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. craft — boats
  17. season — of the year
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. track — to keep track
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. capital — a city
  23. season — in sport
  24. craft — a skill

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