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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: saw · cue · mate · spring · current · bay · mouse · club

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. spring — the season
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. current — of water
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. mate — a friend
  8. club — a group
  9. spring — of water
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. current — electric
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. spring — a coil
  15. current — happening now
  16. club — for golf
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. club — for dancing

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