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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: bound · capital · bay · cue · mark · current · cabinet · cell

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. mark — a trace
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. current — electric
  8. capital — money
  9. current — of water
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bound — obliged
  14. current — happening now
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bound — certain
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. capital — a city
  24. mark — a grade

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