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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 116 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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. sharp — clever
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. current — happening now
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. firm — a company
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. current — of water
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. firm — decided
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. swing — in golf
  20. rest — what's left
  21. current — electric
  22. rest — a break
  23. firm — steady
  24. rest — what's left

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