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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.

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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: nail · last · pop · lash · calf · patient · current · wave

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. last — to go on
  3. last — final
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. current — electric
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pop — music
  9. last — finally
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. current — of water
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. current — happening now
  17. pop — soda
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pop — to visit

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