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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 120 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: ball · kid · can · content · current · pound · suit · pass

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. can — a tin
  3. pound — a weight
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. can — a tin
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. current — electric
  13. ball — a dance
  14. kid — child
  15. content — the amount
  16. current — happening now
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. current — of water
  20. kid — to tease
  21. can — to be able to
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. content — happy

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