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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.

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: hide · foot · hand · pound · present · current · wax · wave

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pound — a weight
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. current — electric
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. present — a gift
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. current — happening now
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. current — of water
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. hand — in cards
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hand — help
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. foot — part of the body

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