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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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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: last · wake · bore · rush · fall · calf · rash · suit

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. fall — the season
  3. rash — a series
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bore — to tire
  9. rash — hasty
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. last — final
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. last — finally
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bore — to drill
  24. last — to go on

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