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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: tube · bat · bound · pitcher · file · rest · calf · lean

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bat — the animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bound — obliged
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. rest — what's left
  8. file — a line of people
  9. lean — to bend
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. file — a tool
  12. bound — certain
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. lean — thin
  17. rest — a break
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bound — tied together

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