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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: bound · drill · content · firm · calf · current · perch · coach

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bound — certain
  5. current — electric
  6. bound — tied together
  7. current — of water
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. firm — steady
  10. content — happy
  11. drill — a practice
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. content — the amount
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. firm — decided
  17. drill — army training
  18. firm — a company
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. current — happening now
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bound — obliged
  24. perch — the fish

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