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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: kid · file · sharp · calf · fan · stick · pop · mark

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. file — a line of people
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. file — a tool
  8. mark — a grade
  9. kid — child
  10. file — a document
  11. pop — music
  12. sharp — clever
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pop — to visit
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. kid — to tease
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pop — soda
  20. mark — a trace
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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