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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: content · object · current · row · stand · bore · track · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. track — a song
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. content — the amount
  6. current — electric
  7. bore — to drill
  8. object — to protest
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. content — happy
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. row — to paddle
  14. current — happening now
  15. object — a thing
  16. track — a path
  17. current — of water
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. row — a line
  20. object — an aim
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. track — to keep track

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