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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. current — happening now
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. current — of water
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. row — to paddle
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. row — a line
  15. mate — a friend
  16. current — electric
  17. prune — to trim
  18. board — to get on
  19. pass — a permit
  20. board — a committee
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pound — a weight
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pass — to spend time

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