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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: rash · craft · snap · pound · calf · lean · race · rush

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. lean — thin
  3. rash — a series
  4. race — a contest
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. snap — to click
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rash — hasty
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. rush — hurry
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. pound — a weight
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. race — humankind
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. race — the arms race
  24. rash — on the skin

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