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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.

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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: bay · spring · current · firm · rock · cap · mate · ball

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. mate — a partner
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rock — a stone
  5. spring — a coil
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cap — a hat
  9. spring — the season
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cap — of ice
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mate — a friend
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. rock — music
  17. current — of water
  18. firm — steady
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mate — to breed
  21. current — happening now
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. current — electric
  24. spring — of water

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