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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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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: cap · wave · pound · mark · firm · bowl · tear · current

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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. pound — to hit hard
  2. current — of water
  3. pound — a weight
  4. mark — a trace
  5. firm — a company
  6. cap — a hat
  7. firm — decided
  8. tear — to rip
  9. current — electric
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mark — a grade
  15. current — happening now
  16. firm — steady
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bowl — a dish
  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