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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: rush · jam · stick · stand · suit · degree · racket · rest

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. suit — clothes
  11. degree — an amount
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stand — to bear
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. suit — in cards
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — temperature
  20. rest — what's left
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rush — hurry

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