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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: rest · racket · wound · jam · arm · straw · bore · mark

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. rest — a break
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mark — a grade
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bore — to drill
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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