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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: bore · rest · suit · pound · cabinet · bowl · rush · march

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rest — a break
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. march — the month
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rush — hurry
  13. march — music
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. suit — to fit
  19. march — the month
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pound — a weight
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cabinet — ministers

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