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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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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 · bore · rest · stick · firm · bowl · lean · rock

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lean — thin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rock — a stone
  14. firm — steady
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. firm — a company
  17. rest — a break
  18. firm — decided
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rock — music
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mate — a partner
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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