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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: swing · net · lash · rush · bowl · pass · march · bank

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. net — for catching
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. net — in sport
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. march — music
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bank — of a river
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bank — for money
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bank — for money
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. swing — music
  23. net — after costs
  24. bowl — a dish

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