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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: fine · bank · pass · clip · roll · rush · degree · pound

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. fine — all right
  4. pass — a permit
  5. roll — a cake
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pound — a weight
  10. fine — high quality
  11. degree — an amount
  12. clip — for paper
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. degree — temperature
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bank — of a river
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bank — for money
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bank — for money
  22. roll — a list
  23. degree — from a university
  24. clip — to cut

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