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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: spell · track · bear · scale · capital · swing · object · lash

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. scale — size or range
  3. track — a path
  4. spell — a short time
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. capital — a city
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. spell — magic
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. spell — letters
  16. object — to protest
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bear — the animal
  19. swing — music
  20. capital — money
  21. swing — to play on
  22. track — a song
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

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