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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 · wake · dip · rush · temple · saw · wave · spell

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. current — electric
  4. spell — letters
  5. current — happening now
  6. dip — to sink
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rush — hurry
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. spell — magic
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. current — of water
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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