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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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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 · pit · cue · board · mate · bank · rush · bear

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mate — a friend
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. mate — a partner
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bank — for money
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bear — the animal
  17. board — a committee
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. board — to get on
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pit — a hole
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mate — to breed

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