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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: mark · fan · pass · pop · file · chest · nail · rush

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. chest — of your body
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pop — music
  8. file — a line of people
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pass — a permit
  13. file — a tool
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rush — hurry
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. file — a document
  20. chest — a box
  21. pop — soda
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. chest — of your body
  24. mark — a trace

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