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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · pop · mate · file · rest · bark · firm · current

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pop — music
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bark — to shout
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. file — a line of people
  7. rest — what's left
  8. file — a document
  9. current — of water
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pop — soda
  12. current — electric
  13. rest — what's left
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — a company
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. firm — steady
  18. rest — a break
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. file — a tool
  23. current — happening now
  24. pop — to visit

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