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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
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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: shower · snap · rash · trunk · safe · craft · mug · stand

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — a series
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. snap — to click
  14. shower — to wash
  15. stand — to bear
  16. shower — rain
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. stand — on your feet

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