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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: bowl · suit · leaves · rock · pass · rush · pound · chest

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rock — music
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — of your body
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. rock — a stone
  20. suit — to fit
  21. chest — a box
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bowl — to roll

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