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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.

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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: band · squash · current · jam · race · rock · content · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. firm — steady
  8. band — a ring
  9. current — of water
  10. race — humankind
  11. band — a music group
  12. content — happy
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. rock — a stone
  15. squash — the sport
  16. race — the arms race
  17. current — electric
  18. squash — to crush
  19. rock — music
  20. current — happening now
  21. firm — a company
  22. content — the amount
  23. race — a contest
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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