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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: pass · suit · rest · capital · lean · row · safe · current

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. row — a line
  3. suit — in cards
  4. current — of water
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. capital — money
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. suit — to fit
  14. row — to paddle
  15. capital — a city
  16. rest — a break
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. pass — a permit
  21. current — happening now
  22. lean — thin
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. current — electric

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