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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: current · firm · row · kid · suit · scale · track · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. track — to keep track
  3. suit — clothes
  4. kid — child
  5. suit — in cards
  6. current — electric
  7. scale — in music
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. current — of water
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. scale — size or range
  13. suit — to fit
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. firm — a company
  19. row — to paddle
  20. track — a path
  21. row — a line
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. track — a song
  24. current — happening now

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