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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  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. file — a tool
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. file — a document
  11. bank — for money
  12. pound — a weight
  13. face — to confront
  14. file — a line of people
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. tube — the underground
  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