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

Word bank: straw · firm · pass · capital · bowl · cap

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. cap — of ice
  4. firm — a company
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. cap — a lid
  7. firm — steady
  8. cap — a hat
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. pass — a permit
  11. capital — a city
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. firm — decided
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — to succeed

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