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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: kick · capital · cue · race · pass · pit

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  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. race — humankind
  2. pit — a hole
  3. capital — a city
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pit — in a race
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cue — for pool
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. kick — in football
  11. cue — a hint
  12. race — a contest
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. cue — a signal
  17. capital — money
  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