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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 · pit · foot · roll · staff · suit · calf · toast

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. roll — a cake
  4. staff — employees
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pit — in a race
  9. staff — a stick
  10. suit — clothes
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. suit — to fit
  16. foot — a measure
  17. toast — bread
  18. file — a document
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. file — a tool
  23. staff — employees
  24. file — a line of people

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