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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: spell · file · pound · current · rest · chip · calf · stand

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rest — what's left
  3. file — a line of people
  4. current — happening now
  5. rest — a break
  6. pound — a weight
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. current — electric
  11. file — a tool
  12. spell — a short time
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. spell — letters
  15. chip — to eat
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. chip — for betting
  19. current — of water
  20. file — a document
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. stand — to bear

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