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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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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: rest · pass · bank · wind · wound · ruler · mine · coach

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rest — what's left
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mine — for digging
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bank — of a river
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wound — an injury
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. rest — a break
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pass — to succeed

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