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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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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: suit · file · band · firm · spring · current · present · swing

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. current — of water
  3. present — there
  4. swing — in golf
  5. current — happening now
  6. swing — to play on
  7. file — a document
  8. suit — to fit
  9. firm — steady
  10. present — the time now
  11. band — a ring
  12. spring — the season
  13. swing — music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. file — a tool
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. current — electric
  19. firm — a company
  20. band — a music group
  21. present — a gift
  22. file — a line of people
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. firm — decided

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