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

Word bank: rule · stand · cap · pass · bank · wind

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bank — for money
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rule — government
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bank — for money
  11. rule — a law
  12. cap — a lid
  13. wind — moving air
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. stand — to bear

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