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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: cap · season · content · bore · tear · can · kick · current

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. cap — a lid
  3. current — electric
  4. season — of the year
  5. current — of water
  6. tear — from crying
  7. cap — of ice
  8. tear — from crying
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — happy
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bore — to tire
  14. cap — a hat
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. tear — to rip
  17. can — a tin
  18. season — in sport
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bore — to drill
  21. current — happening now
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. can — a tin

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