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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pop — soda
  6. can — to be able to
  7. capital — a city
  8. can — a tin
  9. pop — music
  10. suit — clothes
  11. deal — to handle
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. can — a tin
  15. pit — a hole
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. prune — to trim
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pop — to visit
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. suit — to fit

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