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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: current · object · chair · ball · file · ruler · firm · tube

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. object — a thing
  4. current — electric
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. file — a document
  7. ball — a great time
  8. file — a line of people
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. firm — decided
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. object — to protest
  15. tube — the underground
  16. current — happening now
  17. chair — a leader
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. firm — steady
  20. object — an aim
  21. ball — a dance
  22. file — a tool
  23. tube — a container
  24. firm — a company

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