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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rock — music
  6. current — of water
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. current — happening now
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pound — a weight
  13. content — happy
  14. current — electric
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. saw — the tool
  18. suit — to fit
  19. content — the amount
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. suit — clothes
  23. squash — to crush
  24. content — videos and posts

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