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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.

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: bound · content · ball · racket · current · pop · staff · season

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pop — music
  4. staff — employees
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. bound — obliged
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. content — the amount
  11. pop — soda
  12. bound — certain
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. season — of the year
  15. content — happy
  16. staff — employees
  17. season — in sport
  18. staff — a stick
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pop — to visit
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ball — a dance
  24. racket — a loud noise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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