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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: rush · bay · current · pound · pop · mine · row · bear

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pop — music
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. pop — soda
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. row — a line
  10. current — of water
  11. current — happening now
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rush — hurry
  20. current — electric
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a quarrel

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