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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mouse · content · rule · cold · current · firm · fork · mug

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. current — happening now
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rule — a law
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mug — a cup
  8. current — electric
  9. content — the amount
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. cold — not warm
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. current — of water
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. firm — a company
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. firm — steady
  19. content — happy
  20. mug — a face
  21. rule — government
  22. firm — decided
  23. cold — an illness
  24. mouse — for a computer

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