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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: present · last · object · key · kick · band · current · content

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. last — to go on
  3. object — a thing
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. band — a music group
  6. content — the amount
  7. current — electric
  8. object — an aim
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. last — final
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. current — happening now
  15. key — for a lock
  16. object — to protest
  17. current — of water
  18. kick — in football
  19. band — a ring
  20. content — happy
  21. last — finally
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — in music
  24. present — there

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