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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.

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: mine · date · calf · rock · file · fan · current · kid

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. file — a document
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. date — the fruit
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. rock — music
  10. current — happening now
  11. kid — to tease
  12. mine — for digging
  13. current — electric
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. file — a tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. file — a line of people
  20. kid — child
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. fan — a supporter

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