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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. rash — a series
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. can — a tin
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cap — of ice
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. current — happening now
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — a weight
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. can — a tin
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rash — hasty

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