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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: rest · current · content · craft · rush · tube · fan · file

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. file — a line of people
  3. tube — a container
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rest — what's left
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. current — of water
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. craft — boats
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. file — a tool
  13. content — the amount
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. current — electric
  16. file — a document
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rush — hurry
  19. current — happening now
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rest — a break
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. content — happy

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