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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: content · stand · date · temple · sharp · clip · pound · current

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. clip — a video
  4. date — the fruit
  5. current — electric
  6. stand — to bear
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. content — happy
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. clip — to cut
  13. current — of water
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. clip — for paper
  16. pound — a weight
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. content — the amount
  19. current — happening now
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. sharp — clever
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pound — for dogs

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