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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: straw · craft · firm · ball · bulb · file · current · bowl

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. craft — a skill
  3. current — of water
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. current — electric
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. file — a line of people
  11. ball — a great time
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. file — a tool
  17. ball — a dance
  18. firm — steady
  19. craft — boats
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. current — happening now
  24. bowl — a football final

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