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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. current — happening now
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. row — a line
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. charge — in control
  9. tear — to rip
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. row — to paddle
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. charge — electricity
  15. current — electric
  16. charge — a price
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pound — a weight
  19. tear — from crying
  20. pit — a hole
  21. current — of water
  22. pit — in a race
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. stand — for spectators

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