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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: object · staff · deal · rest · march · mouse · bear · rush

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rest — a break
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. staff — employees
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. object — to protest
  8. bear — the animal
  9. march — the month
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rush — hurry
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. march — the month
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. deal — to handle
  16. march — music
  17. object — a thing
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rest — what's left
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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