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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 120 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: game · nail · march · file · dip · rock · chair · calf

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. march — music
  4. file — a tool
  5. chair — a leader
  6. rock — a stone
  7. file — a document
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. file — a line of people
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. game — wild animals
  16. march — the month
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. rock — music
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. march — the month
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. dip — a sauce

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