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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: lash · bear · fine · bound · content · suit · capital · bore

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. fine — all right
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bound — tied together
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bear — the animal
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. content — happy
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. content — the amount
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bore — to tire
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. capital — money
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bound — certain
  23. capital — a city
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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