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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: pitch · bay · lash · current · present · content · fan · cue

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. content — happy
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pitch — completely
  5. present — the time now
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. cue — a hint
  9. present — a gift
  10. current — electric
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. present — there
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. current — happening now
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — the amount

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