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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: present · lean · current · bass · suit · saw · file · rule

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. file — a tool
  3. suit — to fit
  4. present — a gift
  5. lean — thin
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — low music
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rule — government
  13. present — the time now
  14. rule — a law
  15. file — a document
  16. suit — in cards
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. saw — the tool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. present — there
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rule — to rule out

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