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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
468
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 · cap · can · root · current · saw · stick · firm

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. can — to be able to
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. cap — a lid
  6. content — happy
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. current — electric
  9. root — of a plant
  10. can — a tin
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. root — of a word
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. cap — of ice
  15. root — the cause
  16. firm — a company
  17. current — happening now
  18. can — a tin
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. content — the amount
  23. cap — a hat
  24. current — of water

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