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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.

Words on the sheet
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: march · wave · stand · pound · current · lie · saw · bulb

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. current — happening now
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. current — of water
  7. pound — a weight
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. march — the month
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. lie — to recline
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. current — electric
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. stand — for spectators

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