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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: wound · present · staff · rest · arm · rock · snap · rush

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. wound — an injury
  3. present — there
  4. staff — employees
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rock — a stone
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. present — the time now
  10. rock — music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. present — a gift
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. staff — employees
  18. wound — an injury
  19. snap — to click
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. staff — a stick
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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