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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: current · content · season · spell · stand · mark · sharp · suit

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. content — happy
  6. season — of the year
  7. spell — a short time
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. season — in sport
  11. current — electric
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mark — a trace
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. spell — magic
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. content — the amount
  21. spell — letters
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stand — to bear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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