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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: can · game · current · hide · content · prune · stock · charge

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. content — the amount
  4. current — of water
  5. prune — to trim
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — a match
  8. current — electric
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — happy
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. can — a tin
  13. charge — in control
  14. stock — shares
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. game — wild animals
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. charge — electricity
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. charge — a price
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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