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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.

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 · ball · squash · bear · capital · bulb · stand · bank

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. capital — a city
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — for light
  10. squash — to crush
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bank — of a river
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bear — the animal
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bank — for money
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. ball — a dance

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