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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: wave · present · mouse · can · cabinet · current · perch · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. present — there
  6. can — a tin
  7. current — of water
  8. present — the time now
  9. race — the arms race
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. can — a tin
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. current — happening now
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. current — electric
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. present — a gift
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. perch — the fish
  22. race — a contest
  23. can — to be able to
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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