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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
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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: squash · mate · stick · straw · bore · rush · lean · rock

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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. bore — to tire
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lean — thin
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mate — to breed
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. mate — a partner
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mate — a friend
  22. lean — to bend
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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