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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
468
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: present · content · suit · bay · current · band · drill · bass

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. content — the amount
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. suit — in cards
  7. current — electric
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bass — low music
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. current — of water
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. current — happening now
  16. band — a ring
  17. present — a gift
  18. drill — army training
  19. bass — the fish
  20. content — happy
  21. drill — a practice
  22. band — a music group
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bass — the instrument

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