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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 120 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pound — a weight
  6. current — of water
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. key — in music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. key — for a lock
  17. ground — the earth
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. ground — a position
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. current — happening now
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rest — a break

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