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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · pass · safe · hand · cap · trunk · wave · capital

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rash — hasty
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. capital — money
  8. hand — in cards
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pass — a permit
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cap — a hat
  18. capital — a city
  19. cap — of ice
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rash — a series
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. capital — a big letter

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