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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 · capital · rock · kick · kid · ball · mine · suit

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mine — for digging
  4. kid — to tease
  5. suit — clothes
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. capital — money
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. kid — child
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ball — a great time
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. suit — in cards
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. suit — to fit
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. rock — music
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — belonging to me

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