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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: pit · pass · firm · chair · hand · rock · capital · bear

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. capital — a city
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. firm — a company
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bear — the animal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pass — a permit
  14. firm — decided
  15. pit — a hole
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. rock — music
  18. chair — a leader
  19. firm — steady
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. hand — help
  24. capital — money

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