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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: mouse · arm · cell · bank · stick · rush · scale · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. cell — in biology
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bank — of a river
  12. scale — in music
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. cell — a phone
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. rush — hurry
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  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