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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: sharp · board · pass · pop · squash · court · current · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pop — soda
  3. board — a committee
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. current — electric
  6. court — of a king
  7. pop — music
  8. court — for sport
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. current — of water
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pass — a permit
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. current — happening now
  16. squash — the sport
  17. sharp — clever
  18. board — to get on
  19. court — of law
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pop — to visit
  24. squash — to crush

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