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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: rest · key · bay · cap · ruler · pass · land · race

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. land — to come down
  3. cap — a hat
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. key — for a lock
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. land — a country
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pass — a permit
  16. key — in music
  17. land — ground
  18. race — a contest
  19. race — humankind
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. race — the arms race
  24. rest — what's left

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