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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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · straw · suit · pound · wave · game · current · mark

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. current — of water
  3. suit — to fit
  4. game — wild animals
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. current — electric
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pound — a weight
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. game — a match
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. mark — a grade
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. current — happening now
  23. mark — a trace
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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