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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · kick · game · fork · rush · drill · mug · rest

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rest — a break
  3. drill — the tool
  4. game — wild animals
  5. rest — what's left
  6. drill — army training
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. rest — what's left
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. mug — to rob
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. rush — hurry
  18. game — a match
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. kick — in football
  24. drill — a practice

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