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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: rock · bank · hide · pitcher · saw · current · content · can

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. saw — the tool
  3. can — a tin
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bank — of a river
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. bank — for money
  9. rock — music
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bank — for money
  12. can — a tin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. saw — the tool
  15. content — the amount
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. content — happy
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. can — to be able to
  23. current — happening now
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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