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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 · pass · suit · stand · rock · mouse · clip · temple

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rock — music
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rock — a stone
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. clip — to cut
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. suit — in cards
  24. clip — for paper

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