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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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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: roll · can · rush · hand · staff · rest · mouse · object

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. object — an aim
  4. roll — a cake
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. can — a tin
  9. rest — what's left
  10. staff — a stick
  11. rush — hurry
  12. hand — help
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rest — a break
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. object — to protest
  17. staff — employees
  18. rest — what's left
  19. hand — in cards
  20. staff — employees
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. object — a thing
  23. roll — a list
  24. can — to be able to

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