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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: bulb · deal · pound · wound · current · charge · lash · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. current — electric
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pound — a weight
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. current — happening now
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. charge — electricity
  16. wound — an injury
  17. charge — a price
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. deal — to handle
  20. charge — in control
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. current — of water
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wound — an injury

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