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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.

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: cue · content · current · tube · bound · mug · last · chip

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. current — of water
  2. tube — the underground
  3. last — to go on
  4. cue — a signal
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. chip — for betting
  7. last — finally
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. content — happy
  10. current — electric
  11. bound — obliged
  12. last — final
  13. tube — a container
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bound — tied together
  16. mug — a face
  17. bound — certain
  18. cue — for pool
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. mug — a cup
  22. cue — a hint
  23. mug — to rob
  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