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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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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: pass · row · pit · march · vault · capital · lie · chip

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. row — to paddle
  5. lie — to recline
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. capital — a city
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. march — the month
  12. capital — money
  13. pit — in a race
  14. march — music
  15. row — a line
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pit — a hole
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. vault — a safe
  23. pass — a permit
  24. capital — a big letter

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