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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: calf · current · rash · rush · stand · chest · shower · board

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. chest — a box
  5. rash — a series
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rush — hurry
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. current — electric
  12. shower — to wash
  13. current — of water
  14. shower — rain
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. chest — of your body
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. current — happening now
  22. board — a committee
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. calf — a young animal

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