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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.

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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: calf · lie · fall · file · sharp · mate · season · wind

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mate — a friend
  5. wind — moving air
  6. season — in sport
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. file — a document
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. file — a tool
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. fall — the season
  16. wind — moving air
  17. season — of the year
  18. lie — to recline
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. fall — to drop
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — to breed

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