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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.

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: pass · game · bound · spring · fine · rush

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. fine — all right
  3. game — a match
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bound — tied together
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bound — certain
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — of water
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bound — obliged
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit

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