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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 116 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: rest · board · wind · can · rock · content · stick · rush

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. wind — moving air
  4. can — a tin
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wind — moving air
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. board — to get on
  11. content — happy
  12. rest — a break
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. rock — music
  16. board — a committee
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. content — the amount
  23. rest — what's left
  24. board — a flat piece

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