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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: hide · last · mine · current · suit · content · bound · staff

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. suit — clothes
  3. current — happening now
  4. last — finally
  5. content — the amount
  6. staff — a stick
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mine — for digging
  10. content — happy
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. suit — in cards
  14. last — final
  15. current — of water
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. last — to go on
  18. current — electric
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. staff — employees
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. staff — employees
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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