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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: foot · chip · bore · can · pit · track · file · current

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. current — of water
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bore — to tire
  6. track — a song
  7. chip — to eat
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pit — a hole
  12. current — happening now
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. chip — for betting
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. file — a line of people
  19. current — electric
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a document
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. can — a tin

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