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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 116 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: object · file · cap · sharp · current · pitcher · fine · wake

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. file — a tool
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. current — electric
  5. sharp — clever
  6. object — an aim
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. current — of water
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. current — happening now
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. object — to protest
  15. file — a line of people
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. file — a document
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fine — all right
  21. wake — a trail
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. fine — high quality

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