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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.

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: lash · leaves · deal · capital · band · sharp · mouse · bore

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. capital — a city
  3. deal — to handle
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bore — to drill
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bore — to tire
  16. sharp — clever
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. capital — money
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. band — a ring
  24. deal — a big deal

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