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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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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bank — for money
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rock — a stone
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. tear — from crying
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bank — of a river
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. tear — to rip
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. row — a line
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. row — to paddle
  20. rock — music
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bank — for money
  24. rock — to move gently

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