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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 · rock · lean · pit · can · cabinet · prune · clip

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  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. pit — in a race
  2. clip — a video
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. capital — money
  6. can — a tin
  7. clip — to cut
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. can — a tin
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. capital — a city
  23. clip — for paper
  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