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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
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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: current · pitcher · wave · track · charge · straw · lash · wake

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. track — a song
  10. charge — a price
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. current — happening now
  13. wake — a trail
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. charge — in control
  18. track — to keep track
  19. charge — electricity
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. track — a path
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wave — of the sea

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