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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: file · charge · drill · lash · mouse · bound · capital · trunk

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — obliged
  5. charge — in control
  6. bound — certain
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. file — a document
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. capital — money
  12. drill — the tool
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. charge — a price
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. capital — a city
  20. charge — electricity
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a tool
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lash — an eyelash

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