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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · dip · rush · row · bank · patient · straw · pass

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bank — for money
  4. pass — a permit
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. row — a line
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. row — to paddle
  12. rush — hurry
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bank — for money
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bank — of a river
  23. straw — a straw man
  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