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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. tube — a container
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. content — happy
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. roll — a list
  13. content — the amount
  14. tube — the underground
  15. deal — to handle
  16. current — electric
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. cue — a signal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. roll — a cake
  21. saw — the tool
  22. current — of water
  23. cue — for pool
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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