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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: suit · content · rock · wind · jam · roll · bore · present

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. roll — a list
  3. present — there
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. rock — music
  7. roll — a cake
  8. rock — a stone
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. wind — moving air
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. suit — in cards
  22. content — happy
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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