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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 · degree · pit · safe · stick · pop · dip · coach

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pit — a hole
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. pop — music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pit — in a race
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. degree — from a university
  18. capital — money
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. degree — an amount
  21. pop — to visit
  22. degree — temperature
  23. pop — soda
  24. capital — a city

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