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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: roll · rule · sharp · pop · pitcher · pass · capital · rush

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. pop — music
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pop — to visit
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. capital — money
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. rule — a law
  12. pop — soda
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. roll — a list
  21. rule — government
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. roll — a cake
  24. sharp — exactly

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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