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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: mate · mark · trunk · pass · cap · bank · race · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. race — humankind
  3. mark — a grade
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. race — a contest
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mate — to breed
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bank — for money
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bank — for money
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bank — of a river
  19. tear — from crying
  20. mate — a partner
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. mate — a friend
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cap — of ice

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