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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: bass · key · current · bound · safe · present · mark · pound

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bound — obliged
  3. current — of water
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. key — the most important part
  7. present — a gift
  8. current — electric
  9. mark — a trace
  10. current — happening now
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pound — a weight
  13. present — the time now
  14. bass — low music
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bound — certain
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mark — a grade
  23. key — in music
  24. present — there

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