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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: pass · capital · rule · chair · straw · band

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. rule — a law
  5. band — a ring
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. band — a music group
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. rule — government
  12. capital — a city
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. pass — a permit
  15. chair — a leader
  16. capital — money
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. rule — to rule out

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