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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.

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: can · current · file · chip · object · field · band · bay

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. chip — for betting
  4. can — a tin
  5. object — to protest
  6. field — a subject
  7. file — a line of people
  8. object — an aim
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. can — a tin
  12. band — a ring
  13. can — to be able to
  14. current — electric
  15. field — for sport
  16. file — a document
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. chip — to eat
  21. current — happening now
  22. field — farmland
  23. object — a thing
  24. file — a tool

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