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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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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: pound · current · wave · file · suit · game · pit · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pit — a hole
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. game — wild animals
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mark — a grade
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. suit — to fit
  12. current — happening now
  13. file — a line of people
  14. current — of water
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a document
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. current — electric
  22. game — a match
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. wave — with your hand

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