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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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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: rush · rock · pass · lie · object · ground · tube · bank

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rock — a stone
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pass — a permit
  7. tube — a container
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. object — a thing
  11. rush — hurry
  12. ground — a position
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bank — for money
  21. object — an aim
  22. bank — for money
  23. object — to protest
  24. ground — the earth

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