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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
468
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: rash · chair · shower · mug · lean · jam · race · foot

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. lean — thin
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. race — the arms race
  8. rash — hasty
  9. shower — to wash
  10. race — a contest
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. race — humankind
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a face
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. mug — a cup
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. lean — to bend

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