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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: lean · bore · band · suit · march · pass · rash · can

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lean — thin
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bore — to tire
  5. can — a tin
  6. suit — clothes
  7. band — a music group
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. lean — to bend
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. can — a tin
  12. band — a ring
  13. suit — to fit
  14. march — the month
  15. can — to be able to
  16. rash — hasty
  17. march — music
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rash — a series
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. pass — a permit
  24. march — the month

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