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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: capital · stand · safe · race · tube · pass · calf · snap

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. tube — the underground
  4. stand — to bear
  5. capital — a city
  6. pass — a permit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. race — a contest
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. tube — a container
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. race — humankind
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. capital — money
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. capital — a big letter

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