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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: cabinet · rush · band · lie · rock · content · pass · wind

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rush — hurry
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. content — happy
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wind — moving air
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pass — a permit
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. band — a ring
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. content — the amount
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. rock — to move gently

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