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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: degree · current · fan · band · file · swing · bore · trunk

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. degree — temperature
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bore — to drill
  7. swing — to play on
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. band — a ring
  10. swing — in golf
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. current — of water
  13. file — a document
  14. degree — from a university
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. degree — an amount
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. swing — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. band — a music group
  24. bore — to tire

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