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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: current · dip · ruler · chip · key · content · prune · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. current — electric
  3. content — happy
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chip — to eat
  6. prune — to trim
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. key — in music
  9. content — the amount
  10. key — the most important part
  11. prune — to trim
  12. dip — to sink
  13. current — happening now
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. current — of water
  16. firm — decided
  17. chip — for betting
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. firm — steady
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. key — for a lock

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