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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.

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: bowl · kick · current · rock · content · ball · squash · cap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. content — happy
  4. current — electric
  5. ball — a great time
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cap — a hat
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. current — of water
  14. cap — a lid
  15. squash — to crush
  16. rock — music
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. squash — the sport
  22. current — happening now
  23. rock — a stone
  24. content — the amount

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