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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 116 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: rush · row · current · nail · content · can · stand · spring

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. content — the amount
  3. row — a line
  4. can — a tin
  5. rush — hurry
  6. current — electric
  7. stand — to bear
  8. can — a tin
  9. row — to paddle
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. can — to be able to
  15. current — happening now
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. current — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. content — happy
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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