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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 · bore · key · staff · lean · tear · net · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. staff — employees
  7. tear — to rip
  8. bore — to drill
  9. key — for a lock
  10. lean — thin
  11. tear — from crying
  12. net — in sport
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bore — to tire
  15. net — for catching
  16. key — in music
  17. staff — employees
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lean — to bend
  20. net — after costs
  21. tear — from crying
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. staff — a stick

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