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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: mug · file · wind · nail · rock · fan · current · spell

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rock — music
  6. file — a line of people
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. spell — letters
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a document
  15. mug — to rob
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. file — a tool
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mug — a face
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — magic
  24. current — of water

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