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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: firm · fall · rush · wound · rash · swing · rock · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — in golf
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fall — to drop
  10. firm — decided
  11. rash — hasty
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. firm — a company
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. foot — a measure
  22. fall — the season
  23. firm — steady
  24. wound — an injury

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