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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: net · current · mine · content · wake · bore · cue · pop

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. pop — music
  9. net — in sport
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. pop — soda
  12. content — happy
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bore — to tire
  15. content — the amount
  16. net — after costs
  17. current — electric
  18. cue — a hint
  19. mine — for digging
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pop — to visit
  23. net — for catching
  24. cue — a signal

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