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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 120 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: game · mug · lean · pit · wake · rush · fine · rest

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rest — a break
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pit — in a race
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a match
  8. mug — to rob
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rush — hurry
  11. lean — to bend
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mug — a face
  15. rest — what's left
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pit — a hole
  23. lean — thin
  24. fine — a penalty

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