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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: safe · file · pound · rock · dip · calf · lie · stick

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. lie — to recline
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. file — a document
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. file — a tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. file — a line of people
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rock — to move gently

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