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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: capital · cap · jam · mouse · hide · bound · mark · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. capital — money
  4. cap — a lid
  5. capital — a city
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bound — tied together
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cap — a hat
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bound — certain
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bound — obliged

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