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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: file · fan · roll · track · firm · rush · calf · cue

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. roll — a list
  4. cue — a signal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. track — to keep track
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. file — a line of people
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. roll — a cake
  14. file — a document
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. track — a path
  18. firm — a company
  19. track — a song
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. firm — steady
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rush — hurry
  24. file — a tool

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