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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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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: bowl · pass · bear · capital · suit · mug · stick · race

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. capital — a city
  15. race — humankind
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. race — the arms race
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. capital — money
  23. race — a contest
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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