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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: suit · firm · degree · rush · swing · racket · rest · race

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. race — the arms race
  3. degree — temperature
  4. race — a contest
  5. rest — a break
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rest — what's left
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. swing — in golf
  10. suit — clothes
  11. swing — to play on
  12. firm — steady
  13. rest — what's left
  14. degree — from a university
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. firm — a company
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. swing — music
  20. race — humankind
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. degree — an amount
  24. firm — decided

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