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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: can · nail · temple · shower · current · racket · content · spring

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. content — the amount
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. content — happy
  10. can — a tin
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. can — to be able to
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. current — electric
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. current — of water
  19. spring — of water
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. current — happening now
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. spring — the season

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