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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: rush · foot · club · fan · file · land · trunk · pop

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. club — a group
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. land — a country
  11. pop — to visit
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — for golf
  16. foot — a measure
  17. rush — hurry
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pop — music
  20. land — to come down
  21. pop — soda
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. land — ground
  24. rush — a thrill

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