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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: tube · cabinet · club · toast · bay · capital · sharp · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. club — for dancing
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. club — for golf
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. capital — a city
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. tube — a container
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. club — a group
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. capital — money
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. toast — bread
  21. pit — a hole
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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