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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.

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 · kick · wave · bass · kid · sharp · temple · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. current — happening now
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. kick — in football
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. kid — child
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bass — low music
  17. current — of water
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bass — the fish
  20. kid — to tease
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. current — electric
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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