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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: sharp · rush · capital · pit · lie · tube · club · wake

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. capital — money
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. wake — a trail
  13. club — for dancing
  14. capital — a city
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. pit — a hole
  18. tube — a container
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. tube — the underground
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rush — hurry

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