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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: file · racket · bulb · rule · fan · current · cabinet · track

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. file — a tool
  5. current — happening now
  6. bulb — for light
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bulb — for light
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. track — a song
  13. rule — a law
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. track — a path
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. file — a line of people
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. track — to keep track
  21. file — a document
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fan — a supporter

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