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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.

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: rash · hide · pit · dip · staff · capital · tube · mark

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. mark — a grade
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — a city
  6. tube — a container
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pit — in a race
  10. tube — the underground
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pit — a hole
  13. staff — employees
  14. capital — money
  15. rash — hasty
  16. dip — to sink
  17. staff — employees
  18. rash — a series
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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