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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: deal · pound · file · bank · content · rock · calf · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. deal — to handle
  5. file — a tool
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. content — happy
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. file — a line of people
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bank — of a river
  18. content — the amount
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. file — a document
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. roll — a cake
  24. rock — music

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