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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
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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 · mouse · content · wind · spell · leaves · craft · chip

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. current — electric
  4. craft — boats
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. spell — magic
  7. chip — for betting
  8. current — of water
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. chip — to eat
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wind — moving air
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. content — happy
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. current — happening now
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. spell — letters
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. wind — moving air
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. spell — a short time
  24. craft — a skill

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