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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: game · rash · ruler · bulb · chair · craft · trunk · rush

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. game — wild animals
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bulb — for light
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chair — a leader
  21. game — a match
  22. rash — a series
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rush — hurry

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