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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. current — electric
  3. pop — music
  4. staff — employees
  5. track — to keep track
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. suit — in cards
  10. staff — employees
  11. current — of water
  12. staff — a stick
  13. track — a song
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. current — happening now
  17. track — a path
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pop — soda
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pop — to visit

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