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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 120 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 · current · mug · tube · squash · firm · file · band

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. tube — a container
  3. firm — steady
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. current — of water
  6. current — electric
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. firm — decided
  9. deal — to handle
  10. firm — a company
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. current — happening now
  13. mug — to rob
  14. squash — the sport
  15. band — a ring
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mug — a cup
  19. band — a music group
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. file — a document
  22. mug — a face
  23. file — a tool
  24. squash — to crush

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