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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 120 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: current · lash · patient · wave · capital · snap · leaves · pound

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. current — of water
  5. capital — a city
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. current — happening now
  14. pound — a weight
  15. snap — to click
  16. current — electric
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

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