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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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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: sharp · stand · shower · craft · rash · rule · foot · race

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — a series
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. race — humankind
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. sharp — clever
  7. race — a contest
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. race — the arms race
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. craft — boats
  15. rule — government
  16. shower — rain
  17. craft — a skill
  18. foot — a measure
  19. shower — to wash
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. rule — a law
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. foot — part of the body

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