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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: date · object · wave · current · pound · dip · charge · pit

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pit — in a race
  3. current — of water
  4. dip — to sink
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. charge — a price
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pound — a weight
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. charge — in control
  14. current — electric
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. current — happening now
  18. date — the fruit
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. charge — electricity

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