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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 116 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
468
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: track · calf · ruler · fan · bear · dip · mate · file

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. track — a path
  4. dip — to sink
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bear — the animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. track — a song
  12. mate — to breed
  13. file — a line of people
  14. file — a tool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mate — a friend
  19. track — to keep track
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. file — a document
  24. bear — the 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