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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · club · plane · hand · fork · rash · file · bank

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. bank — for money
  4. hand — in cards
  5. file — a document
  6. bank — for money
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. file — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bank — of a river
  12. club — for golf
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fork — in a road
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. club — a group
  19. plane — a tool
  20. club — for dancing
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. file — a line of people
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. plane — an aircraft

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