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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · board · fall · rush · rest · cold · can · swing

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  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. cold — the Cold War
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. swing — to play on
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cold — an illness
  9. board — a committee
  10. swing — in golf
  11. rest — what's left
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. board — to get on
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rest — a break
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cold — not warm
  22. rest — what's left
  23. swing — music
  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