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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: bass · race · ruler · suit · patient · capital

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. race — the arms race
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. capital — a city
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. race — a contest
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bass — low music
  14. suit — clothes
  15. race — humankind
  16. capital — money
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. patient — a sick person

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