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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: charge · current · mouse · rock · toast · prune · object · pop

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. toast — bread
  2. prune — to trim
  3. charge — a price
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pop — soda
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. object — a thing
  9. pop — to visit
  10. object — an aim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pop — music
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rock — music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. object — to protest
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. charge — in control
  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