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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bank — for money
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. band — a ring
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. band — a music group
  17. bank — for money
  18. rush — hurry
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pass — a permit
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ruler — for measuring

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