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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: pass · rule · cabinet · clip · drill · coach · bowl · rush

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. clip — to cut
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pass — a permit
  15. clip — a video
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. clip — for paper
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. drill — army training
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — a law
  24. rush — a thrill

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