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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: wave · pop · wake · spring · pitch · pass · current · sharp

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pop — soda
  4. wake — a trail
  5. sharp — clever
  6. current — electric
  7. pitch — completely
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. current — of water
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. spring — the season
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pop — music
  17. spring — of water
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. spring — a coil
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. current — happening now
  24. wave — with your hand

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