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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 · capital · pit · last · deal · suit · club · bowl

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pit — in a race
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. capital — a city
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. club — for golf
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. last — final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. last — to go on
  13. capital — money
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. last — finally
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. sharp — clever
  20. deal — to handle
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. suit — to fit

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