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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: mark · file · suit · hand · stick · deal · current · spring

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — a coil
  5. current — happening now
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. file — a line of people
  8. deal — to handle
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. spring — the season
  11. mark — a grade
  12. current — electric
  13. suit — to fit
  14. file — a tool
  15. suit — clothes
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. suit — in cards
  20. hand — help
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. hand — in cards
  23. current — of water
  24. file — a document

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