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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: bore · current · ground · mate · pound · fall · mark · straw

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. current — happening now
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mark — a grade
  7. ground — the earth
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. ground — a position
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. mate — a friend
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bore — to tire
  16. ground — crushed
  17. current — of water
  18. pound — a weight
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. current — electric
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bore — gave birth

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