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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: pass · rest · land · rush · bore · lie · cap · tube

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. tube — the underground
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. land — to come down
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cap — a hat
  14. tube — a container
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rest — what's left
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. land — a country
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rest — a break
  23. cap — a lid
  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