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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: rash · arm · squash · board · stand · cabinet · shower · season

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. board — a committee
  8. shower — rain
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rash — hasty
  11. season — of the year
  12. stand — to bear
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. squash — to crush
  18. shower — to wash
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. squash — the sport
  24. rash — a series

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