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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 116 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: ruler · cold · pass · saw · current · cue · can · content

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. current — of water
  3. content — the amount
  4. cue — a hint
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cue — for pool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. current — electric
  14. current — happening now
  15. cold — not warm
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cue — a signal
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. content — happy
  21. can — a tin
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. cold — the Cold War

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