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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: bank · arm · pop · firm · rule · can · degree · pass

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rule — government
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. firm — a company
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bank — for money
  8. pass — a permit
  9. firm — decided
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. can — a tin
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bank — of a river
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bank — for money
  16. pop — music
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rule — a law
  20. degree — from a university
  21. firm — steady
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. pop — soda
  24. degree — an amount

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