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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: row · pitcher · cap · file · fan · pass · ground · capital

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. ground — the earth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. row — to paddle
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cap — a lid
  11. file — a document
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a city
  14. cap — of ice
  15. ground — crushed
  16. row — a line
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ground — a position
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cap — a hat
  24. file — a tool

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