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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: sharp · pass · pit · firm · capital · band · roll · temple

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pass — a permit
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pit — a hole
  9. roll — a cake
  10. firm — decided
  11. sharp — clever
  12. capital — money
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. band — a ring
  15. firm — a company
  16. band — a music group
  17. roll — a list
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. capital — a city
  20. firm — steady
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. roll — on a roll

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