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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 · bear · pit · racket · file · cabinet · capital · plane

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pit — a hole
  6. file — a line of people
  7. capital — money
  8. file — a document
  9. pit — in a race
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bear — the animal
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. capital — a city
  22. file — a tool
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. cabinet — ministers

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