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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: capital · bear · jam · rash · racket · lean · pass · bay

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rash — a series
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bear — the animal
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. rash — hasty
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lean — to bend
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. pass — a permit
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. capital — a city
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rash — on the skin

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