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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: pop · suit · dip · capital · present · cap · pitcher · tube

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. tube — the underground
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. present — a gift
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a city
  11. present — there
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. present — the time now
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pop — to visit
  18. cap — a hat
  19. suit — clothes
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. tube — a container
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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