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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.

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: race · file · spring · current · stick · track · stand · calf

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. file — a tool
  4. current — of water
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. race — the arms race
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. spring — a coil
  10. current — electric
  11. spring — of water
  12. stand — to bear
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. race — a contest
  16. current — happening now
  17. track — a path
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spring — the season
  20. file — a line of people
  21. track — a song
  22. race — humankind
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. track — to keep track

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