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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: suit · capital · cap · safe · racket · bat · pass · bowl

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pass — a permit
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. cap — of ice
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cap — a hat
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pass — to spend time

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