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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 120 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: mate · bay · rush · club · pop · mug · saw · current

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. current — electric
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mug — a cup
  6. current — happening now
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pop — soda
  9. saw — the tool
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mate — to breed
  14. club — for dancing
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mug — to rob
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. current — of water
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pop — music
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mug — a face

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