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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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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: pass · pop · rush · bound · tear · trunk · rest · bank

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rest — what's left
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bank — for money
  6. pass — a permit
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bank — for money
  11. bound — obliged
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bank — of a river
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. rush — hurry
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pop — soda
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pop — music
  24. bound — certain

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