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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: shower · rash · bay · chip · board · rest · spring · rock

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. spring — the season
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. chip — to eat
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. spring — a coil
  9. board — a committee
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rash — hasty
  12. board — to get on
  13. shower — rain
  14. spring — of water
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. chip — for betting
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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