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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 120 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: can · calf · pit · file · spell · craft · shower · cabinet

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. file — a document
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. spell — a short time
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. shower — rain
  9. pit — in a race
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. spell — letters
  14. craft — boats
  15. spell — magic
  16. file — a tool
  17. shower — to wash
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. can — a tin
  20. file — a line of people
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pit — a hole
  23. craft — a skill
  24. calf — a young 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