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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: saw · race · pit · cap · bear · spell · game · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cap — a lid
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pit — in a race
  7. spell — magic
  8. race — a contest
  9. suit — clothes
  10. game — a match
  11. saw — the tool
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bear — the animal
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. saw — the tool
  16. spell — letters
  17. race — humankind
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. game — wild animals
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a hat
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pit — a hole

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