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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: pass · ground · capital · bank · lean · can · bass · race

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  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. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bank — for money
  4. capital — a city
  5. bass — low music
  6. bank — of a river
  7. can — a tin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. ground — a position
  10. race — humankind
  11. ground — the earth
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. lean — thin
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. race — a contest
  17. bank — for money
  18. can — to be able to
  19. ground — crushed
  20. lean — to bend
  21. can — a tin
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. race — the arms race
  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