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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: current · snap · suit · cell · last · jam · stick · file

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. last — to go on
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. current — electric
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. snap — to click
  8. last — final
  9. last — finally
  10. file — a tool
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cell — in biology
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. suit — clothes
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. suit — to fit
  18. file — a document
  19. current — happening now
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. file — a line of people
  22. current — of water
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. cell — a phone

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