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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: craft · rash · ruler · coach · wind · calf · shower · present

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rash — hasty
  4. present — the time now
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wind — moving air
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. present — there
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. present — a gift
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rash — a series
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. shower — rain
  24. coach — a trainer

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