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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.

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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: pass · present · cap · track · capital · ruler · rest · bound

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. capital — money
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. track — a path
  7. bound — certain
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cap — a lid
  12. present — there
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. present — the time now
  16. rest — a break
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bound — obliged
  20. present — a gift
  21. track — to keep track
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — a city
  24. track — a song

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