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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: bowl · current · fine · roll · staff · spring · content · cue

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. roll — a list
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. spring — the season
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. content — the amount
  12. roll — a cake
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. current — of water
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — a coil
  19. cue — a hint
  20. current — happening now
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. staff — employees
  24. current — electric

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