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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: rest · mug · can · rush · swing · hide · rock · present

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — music
  4. rush — hurry
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. present — a gift
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. can — a tin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mug — to rob
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. present — there
  14. swing — in golf
  15. can — a tin
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rest — a break
  19. can — to be able to
  20. present — the time now
  21. rock — a stone
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — music
  24. mug — a face

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