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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: row · firm · trunk · pound · current · sharp · wave · toast

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. sharp — clever
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. firm — a company
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. toast — bread
  14. pound — a weight
  15. current — happening now
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. firm — decided
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. firm — steady
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. row — to paddle
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. row — a line

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