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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bank · temple · chair · rush · pass · bat · drill

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. drill — army training
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

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