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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: current · bound · sharp · present · wave · mate · shower · bulb

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bound — obliged
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. current — of water
  7. mate — a friend
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. sharp — clever
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. current — electric
  18. shower — rain
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bound — certain
  21. mate — a partner
  22. current — happening now
  23. present — there
  24. shower — to wash

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