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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pop · track · straw · current · wind · craft · safe · wave

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pop — music
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. current — happening now
  6. craft — a skill
  7. track — a path
  8. current — electric
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. track — to keep track
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. craft — boats
  13. pop — soda
  14. track — a song
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. current — of water
  18. pop — to visit
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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