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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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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 · pitcher · rock · suit · staff · firm · chest · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. firm — steady
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chest — a box
  5. rock — a stone
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chest — of your body
  16. staff — employees
  17. suit — to fit
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rest — a break
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. chest — of your body
  24. rush — hurry

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