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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: file · fall · cabinet · spell · trunk · mate · band · calf

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — letters
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. file — a line of people
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mate — to breed
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mate — a partner
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a ring
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fall — the season
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. file — a tool
  20. fall — to drop
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mate — a friend
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. calf — of the leg

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