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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 116 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: pop · root · saw · current · pound · rest · wave · plane

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. current — electric
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pop — music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. plane — a tool
  9. current — of water
  10. pop — soda
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rest — a break
  14. root — of a word
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. root — the cause
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pop — to visit
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rest — what's left
  23. current — happening now
  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