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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: pass · wave · deal · rash · sharp · current · coach · hand

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. current — electric
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. current — happening now
  6. sharp — clever
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pass — a permit
  11. deal — to handle
  12. current — of water
  13. rash — a series
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. hand — in cards
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. hand — help
  20. rash — hasty
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. deal — an agreement

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