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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.

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: cap · cold · current · file · suit · rock · toast · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. current — of water
  3. suit — clothes
  4. file — a tool
  5. toast — bread
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. current — electric
  9. file — a document
  10. suit — to fit
  11. file — a line of people
  12. current — happening now
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bound — tied together
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rock — a stone
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cap — a lid
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bound — obliged
  21. cap — a hat
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. cold — an illness
  24. rock — music

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