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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: rush · current · wave · pound · chip · bulb · cabinet · can

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. chip — for betting
  3. current — happening now
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. current — electric
  7. can — a tin
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rush — hurry
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bulb — for light
  16. can — a tin
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. current — of water
  24. chip — in a computer

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