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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: cap · rush · rest · bore · stand · straw · can · swing

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. cap — of ice
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rest — a break
  5. can — a tin
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. swing — music
  9. stand — to bear
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. swing — to play on
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. can — a tin
  23. swing — in golf
  24. rest — what's left

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