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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · spell · rest · drill · prune · suit · pit · capital

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rest — what's left
  5. spell — a short time
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. capital — money
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rest — a break
  10. spell — letters
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. mug — to rob
  14. spell — magic
  15. rest — what's left
  16. suit — to fit
  17. capital — a city
  18. mug — a face
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pit — in a race
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mug — a cup
  23. prune — to trim
  24. capital — a big letter

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