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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · file · fine · ball · current · spring · ground · can

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. ball — a dance
  4. file — a line of people
  5. spring — the season
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. can — a tin
  8. fine — high quality
  9. content — the amount
  10. ground — crushed
  11. spring — a coil
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. file — a tool
  14. content — happy
  15. current — happening now
  16. can — a tin
  17. ground — a position
  18. fine — all right
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. file — a document
  21. ground — the earth
  22. can — to be able to
  23. current — of water
  24. ball — a great time

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