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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: deal · racket · file · rock · current · stem · firm · pop

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. current — electric
  3. stem — to come from
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. current — of water
  6. rock — music
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a tool
  9. firm — a company
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. file — a document
  17. firm — steady
  18. rock — a stone
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pop — music
  21. firm — decided
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. current — happening now

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