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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 · deal · straw · pop · calf · bank · shower · fan

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pop — music
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. pop — to visit
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bank — of a river
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. deal — to handle
  10. file — a document
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. pop — soda
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bank — for money
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — rain
  19. file — a tool
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bank — for money

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