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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: suit · object · craft · nail · bay · press · shower · rash

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rash — hasty
  3. shower — to wash
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. object — a thing
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. press — to push
  12. rash — a series
  13. suit — to fit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. object — to protest
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. object — an aim
  18. suit — in cards
  19. press — a publisher
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. shower — rain
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. craft — boats

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