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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 120 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 · rush · arm · band · squash · rock · snap · bore

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rock — music
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. band — a ring
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. squash — to crush
  16. snap — to click
  17. bore — to tire
  18. band — a music group
  19. pass — a permit
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rush — to hurry

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