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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: cue · fine · content · branch · mark · current · present · kick

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. current — of water
  3. cue — a signal
  4. present — the time now
  5. cue — for pool
  6. kick — in football
  7. mark — a trace
  8. present — there
  9. current — electric
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. content — the amount
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. content — happy
  14. branch — a division
  15. fine — high quality
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. current — happening now
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. present — a gift
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. branch — of a bank

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