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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.

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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: squash · plane · bass · cabinet · file · firm · sharp · current

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bass — the fish
  3. current — happening now
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. file — a tool
  6. plane — a tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. file — a document
  9. bass — low music
  10. sharp — clever
  11. current — electric
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. file — a line of people
  14. firm — a company
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. firm — steady
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. squash — the sport
  21. current — of water
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. firm — decided
  24. squash — to crush

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