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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 124 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · snap · stand · rush · foot · cue · perch · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. race — humankind
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. cue — a hint
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. rest — what's left
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rest — what's left
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stand — to bear
  19. snap — to click
  20. rush — hurry
  21. race — a contest
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. foot — a measure
  24. race — the arms race

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