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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 120 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: lash · spell · suit · pit · content · capital · vault · march

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. pit — in a race
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. spell — magic
  8. content — the amount
  9. spell — letters
  10. capital — a city
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pit — a hole
  13. vault — a safe
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. capital — money
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. spell — a short time
  21. suit — clothes
  22. march — the month
  23. content — happy
  24. suit — in cards

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