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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.

Make a worksheet

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: current · wave · capital · patient · present · rash · roll · lash

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. present — the time now
  2. rash — a series
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. present — there
  5. roll — a list
  6. capital — money
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. rash — hasty
  13. capital — a city
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. present — a gift
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. current — of water
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. roll — a cake
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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