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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: current · mouse · mate · bear · pop · jam · net · cabinet

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pop — to visit
  3. net — after costs
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mate — a friend
  10. current — electric
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. current — happening now
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — in sport
  21. mate — a partner
  22. current — of water
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mouse — the animal

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