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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: cap · bound · mark · mate · ball · roll · rush · current

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rush — hurry
  7. roll — a list
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mark — a trace
  11. roll — a cake
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. mate — a partner
  15. current — electric
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mate — a friend
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bound — certain
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mark — a grade

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