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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: content · saw · drill · current · fan · spring · firm · cabinet

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. content — the amount
  3. firm — a company
  4. drill — army training
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. firm — decided
  7. drill — a practice
  8. spring — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. firm — steady
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. spring — the season
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. spring — a coil
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. current — of water
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. current — happening now
  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