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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 · rule · straw · dip · bank · pit · rush · march

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pit — a hole
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pit — in a race
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. march — the month
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rule — government
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bank — of a river
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. rule — a law
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bank — for money
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bank — for money

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