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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 · wind · ground · can · track · calf · bear · current

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. current — of water
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ground — the earth
  10. can — a tin
  11. wind — moving air
  12. ground — a position
  13. file — a tool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. file — a document
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. bear — the animal
  19. track — a song
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. ground — crushed
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. can — to be able to

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