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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: row · squash · content · can · shower · bound · pitch · current

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. row — a line
  3. bound — certain
  4. squash — the sport
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pitch — completely
  10. current — happening now
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. current — electric
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. current — of water
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bound — obliged
  19. squash — to crush
  20. can — a tin
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — rain
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. content — happy

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