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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. file — a line of people
  2. rash — a series
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. current — of water
  6. bound — tied together
  7. file — a document
  8. land — a country
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bound — certain
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bound — obliged
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. land — to come down
  15. current — electric
  16. file — a tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rash — hasty
  19. suit — in cards
  20. land — ground
  21. current — happening now
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rash — on the skin
  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