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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: pitcher · current · tube · staff · content · hide · fine · deal

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. content — the amount
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fine — all right
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. current — of water
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. staff — employees
  12. current — happening now
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. tube — the underground
  15. current — electric
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. staff — a stick
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fine — high quality
  22. staff — employees
  23. tube — a container
  24. deal — an agreement

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