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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: pit · tube · root · capital · jam · cabinet · vault · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. vault — a safe
  4. capital — money
  5. root — of a word
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. root — of a plant
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. tube — a container
  10. pit — a hole
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. capital — a city
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. root — the cause
  15. lie — to recline
  16. tube — the underground
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pit — in a race
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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