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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: dip · cue · calf · row · file · cold · rash · bulb

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. file — a tool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. dip — to sink
  6. file — a document
  7. rash — hasty
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bulb — for light
  10. file — a line of people
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. cold — an illness
  17. rash — a series
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. cold — not warm
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cue — for pool
  23. row — a line
  24. calf — a young animal

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