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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: trunk · craft · club · stock · foot · shower · pit · rash

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. pit — a hole
  5. club — for golf
  6. stock — shares
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. rash — hasty
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. shower — rain
  14. club — for dancing
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pit — in a race
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. craft — a skill
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. craft — boats
  24. rash — a series

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