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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 120 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
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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: suit · game · pass · calf · rush · fan · can · file

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pass — a permit
  4. file — a tool
  5. rush — hurry
  6. game — a match
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. can — a tin
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. game — wild animals
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. file — a line of people
  22. suit — to fit
  23. can — a tin
  24. file — a document

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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