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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 120 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: current · hand · tube · bowl · content · bore

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — happy
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. current — electric
  8. current — of water
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. hand — help
  13. current — happening now
  14. bore — to drill
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bore — to tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. bore — gave birth

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