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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
468
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: sharp · content · deal · ball · current · pitcher · mine · ruler

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. content — happy
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — of water
  15. deal — to handle
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. ball — a great time
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. current — electric
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. content — the amount
  24. pitcher — a jug

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