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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: dip · land · rash · mate · craft · rush · fall · stem

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rash — a series
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rush — hurry
  8. craft — a skill
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fall — to drop
  13. land — a country
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. land — to come down
  18. fall — the season
  19. stem — to come from
  20. land — ground
  21. mate — to breed
  22. rash — hasty
  23. mate — a partner
  24. craft — boats

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