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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: kick · can · row · pitch · content · current · bay · mark

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. kick — in football
  5. can — a tin
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. row — to paddle
  8. current — happening now
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. current — electric
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. content — happy
  16. current — of water
  17. content — the amount
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. row — a line
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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