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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · staff · wave · squash · current · object · scale · rash

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. sharp — clever
  4. rash — hasty
  5. staff — employees
  6. object — to protest
  7. scale — in music
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. object — an aim
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — to crush
  14. current — happening now
  15. object — a thing
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. scale — size or range
  18. rash — a series
  19. squash — the sport
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. current — of water
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. current — electric

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