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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: bowl · race · cap · patient · current · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. current — electric
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. current — happening now
  9. cap — a hat
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. race — the arms race
  14. cap — a lid
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — a contest
  17. current — of water
  18. cap — of ice

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