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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: temple · kid · wave · bass · tube · current · wake · charge

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. kid — to tease
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wake — a trail
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. current — happening now
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. kid — child
  16. current — of water
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. charge — a price
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bass — low music
  21. tube — a container
  22. charge — in control
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. current — electric

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