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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: bass · content · current · bound · bore · chip · calf · march

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bound — obliged
  3. current — electric
  4. bound — tied together
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. current — of water
  7. bore — to drill
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. content — happy
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. march — the month
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bound — certain
  21. current — happening now
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bass — low music
  24. content — videos and posts

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