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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 · kick · pass · prune · squash · current · mate · rock

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. current — of water
  6. kick — in football
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. rock — a stone
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mate — to breed
  15. current — happening now
  16. squash — the sport
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mate — a partner
  21. squash — to crush
  22. mate — a friend
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to succeed

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