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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: capital · suit · pit · scale · safe · tear

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. tear — to rip
  4. scale — in music
  5. tear — from crying
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pit — a hole
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pit — in a race
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. suit — clothes
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — money
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. suit — in cards

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