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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
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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: can · craft · foot · race · deal · object · rash · shower

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. can — to be able to
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. craft — boats
  8. rash — hasty
  9. object — a thing
  10. deal — to handle
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. race — the arms race
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. can — a tin
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. race — a contest
  21. rash — a series
  22. can — a tin
  23. race — humankind
  24. object — an aim

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