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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: file · nail · calf · mouse · cell · jam · bark · cabinet

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. file — a line of people
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. file — a document
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. file — a tool
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cell — in biology
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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