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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: land · capital · kick · pass · roll · wound · stand · rush

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. roll — a list
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. land — to come down
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. wound — an injury
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rush — hurry
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. capital — money
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. pass — a permit
  18. land — a country
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. capital — a city
  22. land — ground
  23. stand — to bear
  24. wound — an injury

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