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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 120 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: track · nail · current · kick · row · wave · pound · charge

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — to paddle
  3. charge — a price
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — a weight
  6. charge — in control
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. current — of water
  11. track — a path
  12. current — happening now
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. kick — in football
  15. track — to keep track
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. current — electric
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. row — a line
  21. track — a song
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pound — for dogs

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