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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.

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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: mate · calf · content · land · can · current · row · stand

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. mate — a partner
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. land — to come down
  7. content — the amount
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mate — a friend
  10. content — happy
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. row — a line
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. row — to paddle
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stand — to bear
  18. current — happening now
  19. land — a country
  20. current — of water
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. land — ground
  23. mate — to breed
  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