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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 · temple · rush · stand · chest · key · cabinet · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. chest — of your body
  5. pit — in a race
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — a box
  11. key — in music
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stand — to bear
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rest — a break
  24. pit — a hole

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