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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: stand · cue · shower · pass · content · rush · bound · rash

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bound — certain
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — the amount
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rash — hasty
  8. shower — to wash
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bound — obliged
  15. stand — to bear
  16. content — happy
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cue — a hint
  20. shower — rain
  21. rash — a series
  22. rush — hurry
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bound — tied together

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