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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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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: fork · last · straw · staff · stand · rush · calf · rest

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. last — finally
  3. fork — in a road
  4. staff — employees
  5. rush — hurry
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. staff — a stick
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. last — to go on
  13. rest — what's left
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. last — final
  17. staff — employees
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. rest — a break
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rest — what's left
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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