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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fork — in a road
  8. roll — a cake
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. ground — the earth
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. roll — a list
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. current — electric
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ground — crushed
  21. content — happy
  22. ground — a position
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. content — the amount

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