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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: rush · ground · spell · rash · field · craft · trunk · cabinet

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. ground — a position
  4. craft — boats
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rash — a series
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. spell — letters
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. field — farmland
  18. ground — crushed
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. spell — magic
  21. ground — the earth
  22. craft — a skill
  23. spell — a short time
  24. field — for sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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