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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.

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: fan · pitcher · track · spell · stick · calf · rush · board

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. track — a song
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. board — a committee
  10. track — a path
  11. spell — letters
  12. rush — hurry
  13. board — to get on
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. spell — a short time
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. spell — magic
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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