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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 116 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
468
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: firm · stem · file · current · key · craft · chip · wake

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. current — of water
  3. craft — a skill
  4. wake — a trail
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. firm — steady
  8. file — a line of people
  9. chip — for betting
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — to come from
  12. firm — decided
  13. file — a document
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. key — the most important part
  16. file — a tool
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. craft — boats
  19. firm — a company
  20. key — in music
  21. current — happening now
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. current — electric

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