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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: pitcher · pass · current · content · file · firm · foot · craft

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. content — the amount
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. firm — steady
  10. foot — a measure
  11. craft — a skill
  12. firm — a company
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. content — happy
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. current — electric
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a document
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. file — a tool
  23. craft — boats
  24. pass — a permit

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