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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: mate · bank · rush · drill · roll · pitch · rock · rest

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. rush — hurry
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — a list
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rock — music
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pitch — completely

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