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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: race · object · snap · cap · pass · suit · bear · land

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. snap — to click
  6. object — a thing
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cap — of ice
  10. land — a country
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — humankind
  13. object — to protest
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pass — a permit
  16. object — an aim
  17. land — to come down
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. land — ground
  20. suit — clothes
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. race — a contest
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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