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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
468
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: pound · coach · suit · can · rush · march · bay · rest

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. march — the month
  3. suit — in cards
  4. march — music
  5. can — a tin
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. can — to be able to
  17. march — the month
  18. can — a tin
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rest — what's left

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