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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 120 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 · arm · current · rush · stand · craft · ground · bank

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. ground — a position
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. shower — rain
  5. stand — to bear
  6. shower — to wash
  7. ground — the earth
  8. craft — boats
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. current — of water
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. current — happening now
  19. bank — for money
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. current — electric
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. ground — crushed

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