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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: rock · stem · cap · pit · rush · pass · hand · rule

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rush — hurry
  5. cap — a hat
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rule — a law
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cap — of ice
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. hand — in cards
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rock — music
  16. hand — help
  17. pass — a permit
  18. rule — government
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. cap — a lid

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