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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — soda
  8. present — a gift
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — a friend
  13. present — the time now
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bound — certain
  18. present — there
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bound — obliged
  23. prune — to trim
  24. current — of water

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