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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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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: last · race · bay · stick · capital · patient

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. last — finally
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. race — a contest
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. race — humankind
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — a city
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. last — final
  14. race — the arms race
  15. last — to go on
  16. capital — money
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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