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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: rash · pass · craft · last · pop · rule · vault · rush

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. rule — a law
  3. last — finally
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pop — to visit
  7. last — final
  8. vault — a safe
  9. last — to go on
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pop — music
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. rule — government
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rash — a series
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rush — a thrill

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