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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: pop · fine · spell · foot · content · cabinet · current · last

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. fine — high quality
  4. spell — a short time
  5. last — finally
  6. current — happening now
  7. fine — all right
  8. pop — soda
  9. last — to go on
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. content — happy
  13. spell — magic
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. pop — music
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. spell — letters
  20. last — final
  21. content — the amount
  22. current — electric
  23. pop — to visit
  24. current — of water

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