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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 116 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. current — happening now
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. cap — a hat
  10. craft — boats
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. craft — a skill
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. current — electric
  18. shower — to wash
  19. current — of water
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. shower — rain
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. craft — a handicraft

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