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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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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: staff · current · wake · mate · rush · mark · mine · bay

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mark — a trace
  6. current — happening now
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. wake — a trail
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mark — a grade

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