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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: clip · suit · spring · rock · rest · content · rush · stand

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rock — a stone
  5. spring — a coil
  6. suit — to fit
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — the season
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rock — music
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. clip — to cut
  14. clip — for paper
  15. rest — what's left
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — happy
  18. clip — a video
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rest — a break
  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