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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 116 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: cell · tube · mouse · current · firm · content · pit · hand

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. tube — the underground
  3. current — electric
  4. firm — a company
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. firm — steady
  8. content — the amount
  9. current — happening now
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. current — of water
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. pit — a hole
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. cell — in biology
  17. firm — decided
  18. pit — in a race
  19. hand — help
  20. tube — a container
  21. cell — a phone
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. content — happy
  24. hand — in cards

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