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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 116 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: rock · stick · rush · cabinet · fall · bore · staff · firm

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bore — to tire
  7. staff — employees
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. staff — employees
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. firm — a company
  24. bore — to drill

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