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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: sharp · pound · clip · lash · squash · wave · current · pop

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. current — electric
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pound — a weight
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. clip — to cut
  8. squash — to crush
  9. pop — soda
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. current — of water
  12. clip — for paper
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. clip — a video
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. current — happening now
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. squash — the vegetable

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