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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: bear · stand · kick · ruler · rash · shower · craft · roll

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. shower — rain
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rash — hasty
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bear — the animal
  10. roll — a list
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. kick — in football
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. roll — a cake
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bear — the animal

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