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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 120 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: chair · race · game · cap · suit · season · pass · temple

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. cap — a lid
  3. suit — clothes
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — a contest
  9. cap — a hat
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. season — of the year
  16. cap — of ice
  17. chair — a leader
  18. season — in sport
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. game — a match
  23. race — humankind
  24. pass — a permit

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