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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: cap · calf · ball · game · board · rash · shower · craft

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rash — hasty
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. ball — a dance
  6. cap — a hat
  7. game — wild animals
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. ball — a great time
  11. craft — a skill
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. shower — rain
  15. cap — a lid
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rash — a series
  20. board — to get on
  21. craft — boats
  22. game — a match
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. shower — to wash

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