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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.

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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: file · calf · rest · mug · bank · arm · stick · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mug — a face
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. file — a document
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rush — hurry
  13. file — a tool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. mug — to rob
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bank — for money
  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