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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: bear · key · bass · chip · current · trunk · file · suit

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. file — a tool
  5. suit — clothes
  6. file — a line of people
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. current — electric
  9. key — for a lock
  10. file — a document
  11. key — in music
  12. bass — low music
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bear — the animal
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. bass — the fish
  18. suit — in cards
  19. chip — for betting
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. key — the most important part
  24. chip — in a computer

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