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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: spring · file · foot · current · pass · band · rock · craft

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. band — a ring
  3. spring — the season
  4. file — a document
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — a measure
  7. file — a line of people
  8. spring — a coil
  9. craft — boats
  10. file — a tool
  11. craft — a skill
  12. band — a music group
  13. current — of water
  14. spring — of water
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. rock — music
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — a permit

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