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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: cold · fine · pass · pound · safe · current · bark · wave

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. current — happening now
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. cold — not warm
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. cold — an illness
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. current — of water
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pound — a weight
  22. current — electric
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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