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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: lash · rest · bat · suit · mine · wake · staff · rock

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — music
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bat — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rest — a break
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. staff — a stick
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. suit — to fit
  15. staff — employees
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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