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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: can · ruler · track · bear · mark · sharp · current · pound

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. current — electric
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. current — happening now
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pound — a weight
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. current — of water
  10. track — a path
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. track — a song
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — clever
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bear — the animal
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bear — the animal

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