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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 · dip · clip · roll · rush · pass · rule · fan

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. clip — to cut
  6. roll — a list
  7. roll — a cake
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. clip — a video
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rule — a law
  16. rash — a series
  17. clip — for paper
  18. rule — government
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rash — hasty
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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