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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 120 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: staff · dip · lean · stand · rush · pit · bore · pop

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stand — to bear
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rush — hurry
  16. lean — thin
  17. staff — employees
  18. pop — to visit
  19. staff — employees
  20. pit — a hole
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pop — soda
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pop — music

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