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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 · rash · fan · ruler · stand · bank · patient · shower

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  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. patient — calm and waiting
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. rash — hasty
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bank — for money
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bank — for money
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — of a river
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. shower — to wash
  22. stand — to bear
  23. shower — rain
  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