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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: pop · fan · ball · calf · club · hide · file · dip

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. ball — a dance
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a tool
  9. club — a group
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pop — to visit
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pop — music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. club — for golf
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. club — for dancing
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pop — soda

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