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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fan · file · key · calf · foot · suit · rock · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — in cards
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rock — music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. foot — a measure
  8. suit — to fit
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. file — a document
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. key — in music
  17. march — music
  18. file — a tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. march — the month
  21. key — for a lock
  22. file — a line of people
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rock — a stone

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