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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: suit · fall · dip · cold · scale · calf · file · swing

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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. fall — the season
  2. file — a line of people
  3. cold — not warm
  4. suit — clothes
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cold — an illness
  7. file — a document
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fall — to drop
  12. suit — in cards
  13. file — a tool
  14. dip — to sink
  15. swing — music
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. scale — in music
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fall — to drop
  22. suit — to fit
  23. scale — for weighing
  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