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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: nail · bear · hand · pass · rock · bank · calf · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. hand — help
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bank — for money
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bank — for money
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bear — the animal
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. rock — music

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