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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: race · calf · staff · net · file · track · craft · bank

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. race — humankind
  4. net — after costs
  5. staff — employees
  6. race — a contest
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bank — of a river
  9. file — a document
  10. craft — boats
  11. race — the arms race
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bank — for money
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bank — for money
  17. net — in sport
  18. staff — employees
  19. track — a path
  20. craft — a skill
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. track — a song
  23. staff — a stick
  24. file — a tool

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