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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: pass · firm · capital · tube · current · rash · mate · wax

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. current — happening now
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. current — of water
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. capital — money
  10. mate — to breed
  11. firm — steady
  12. tube — the underground
  13. firm — decided
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. pass — a permit
  16. rash — a series
  17. firm — a company
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. current — electric
  24. tube — a container

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