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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: deal · wake · current · present · suit · pound · perch · rash

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. current — of water
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. current — happening now
  11. suit — clothes
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. current — electric
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rash — hasty
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wake — a trail
  18. present — a gift
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pound — a weight
  21. suit — to fit
  22. present — there
  23. present — the time now
  24. pound — for dogs

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