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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 · tube · ball · content · pound · present · bass · current

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. content — the amount
  3. present — a gift
  4. ball — a dance
  5. tube — a container
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. content — happy
  10. current — happening now
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pound — a weight
  13. current — electric
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bass — low music
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. current — of water
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cap — a hat
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. present — the time now

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