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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 116 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: rush · ruler · cue · cap · pass · capital · nail · rest

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rush — hurry
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cue — for pool
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cap — a hat
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. cue — a signal
  22. capital — money
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. capital — a city

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