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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. fine — all right
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — the arms race
  8. prune — to trim
  9. hand — help
  10. bass — low music
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. race — humankind
  15. fine — high quality
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. suit — clothes
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bass — the fish
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. hand — in cards
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pass — a permit

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