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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: rush · rest · stand · roll · racket · mug · present · temple

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. present — a gift
  3. mug — a cup
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. roll — a cake
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a face
  11. present — there
  12. rush — hurry
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. present — the time now
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stand — to bear

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