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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 120 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: mark · safe · bass · cap · bound · mate · rush · drill

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mark — a grade
  5. cap — of ice
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bound — certain
  8. drill — a practice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. drill — army training
  12. bass — the fish
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — low music
  16. cap — a lid
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mate — a friend
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — obliged
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. safe — out of danger

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