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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: bay · stick · capital · bark · hand · race · pass · ruler

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. capital — a city
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. capital — money
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hand — in cards
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bark — to shout
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. race — humankind
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. race — a contest
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. hand — help
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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