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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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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. shower — to wash
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mate — a partner
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. shower — rain
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. current — electric
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. cue — a signal
  14. current — of water
  15. rock — music
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rush — hurry
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. current — happening now
  21. stand — to bear
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. cue — for pool

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