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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 · mouse · lash · wave · pitch · present · rush · chest

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. chest — of your body
  3. current — electric
  4. rush — hurry
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. chest — of your body
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. present — there
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. chest — a box
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. current — happening now
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. present — a gift
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. present — the time now
  22. current — of water
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitch — completely

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