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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: deal · pop · fall · current · racket · pit · wave · mine

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pit — a hole
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. current — electric
  14. fall — the season
  15. current — happening now
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pop — music
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pit — in a race
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. current — of water

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