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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pop · rock · current · chair · mouse · prune · fan · fine

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. chair — a leader
  3. pop — to visit
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pop — music
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. rock — music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — soda
  13. fine — high quality
  14. current — electric
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rock — a stone
  18. current — of water
  19. fine — all right
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. prune — to trim
  23. current — happening now
  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