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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: straw · content · bank · bowl · current · tube · bay · bulb

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. current — happening now
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. current — of water
  9. bank — for money
  10. current — electric
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. content — the amount
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bank — for money
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. content — happy
  21. tube — a container
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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