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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. current — happening now
  4. pound — a weight
  5. current — of water
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bass — low music
  16. current — electric
  17. mug — a face
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. band — a ring
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pitcher — a jug

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