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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stand — to bear
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rest — a break
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pound — a weight
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. rest — what's left
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. suit — in cards

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