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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: pound · pitch · bore · capital · lash · wake · can · sharp

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. can — a tin
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. sharp — clever
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. capital — a city
  10. can — a tin
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. capital — money
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. can — to be able to
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bore — to drill
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. sharp — exactly

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