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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 · nail · rock · stand · prune · bat · wave · dip

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rest — what's left
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bat — the animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rock — music
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. dip — to sink
  20. prune — to trim
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. nail — for a hammer

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