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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: ruler · track · wave · season · deal · spring · chip · current

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. spring — of water
  4. current — of water
  5. spring — a coil
  6. deal — to handle
  7. track — a path
  8. current — electric
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. current — happening now
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. track — to keep track
  14. season — of the year
  15. spring — the season
  16. chip — to eat
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. track — a song
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chip — for betting
  24. wave — with your hand

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