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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 116 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: rest · shower · safe · fine · ruler · craft · calf · trunk

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. shower — to wash
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rest — what's left
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. shower — rain
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. craft — boats
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rest — what's left
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rest — a break

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