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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.

Make a worksheet

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: suit · rock · ruler · current · cold · spring · craft · file

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. file — a line of people
  4. spring — the season
  5. rock — a stone
  6. cold — an illness
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. craft — boats
  9. current — electric
  10. current — of water
  11. suit — clothes
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cold — not warm
  16. suit — in cards
  17. file — a tool
  18. spring — a coil
  19. file — a document
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. rock — music
  23. spring — of water
  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