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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 116 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. race — humankind
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. capital — money
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. suit — in cards
  7. row — to paddle
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. race — a contest
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bulb — for light
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. row — a line
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lie — to recline
  19. capital — a city
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. racket — for tennis

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