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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: object · pound · wave · track · cabinet · can · row · rest

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pound — a weight
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. object — a thing
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. object — to protest
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. can — a tin
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. object — an aim
  14. rest — what's left
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. row — to paddle
  18. track — a song
  19. track — a path
  20. rest — a break
  21. row — a line
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. can — a tin
  24. wave — with your hand

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