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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: rest · plane · content · current · kick · bore · band · stand

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bore — to tire
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rest — a break
  7. plane — a tool
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bore — to drill
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. band — a music group
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rest — what's left
  16. content — the amount
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. band — a ring
  20. content — happy
  21. kick — in football
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — of water
  24. kick — with a leg

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