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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: cabinet · nail · pitch · rush · firm · rest · wave · rock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. firm — decided
  7. rest — a break
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. firm — a company
  14. rock — a stone
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. firm — steady
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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