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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: sharp · calf · object · stand · track · file · rush · rash

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. object — to protest
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. track — a song
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. track — a path
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rash — a series
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. object — an aim
  19. file — a document
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rush — hurry
  22. object — a thing
  23. rash — hasty
  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