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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 116 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: spell · wave · bay · firm · racket · lean · current · rush

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. current — electric
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rush — hurry
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. spell — magic
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. spell — letters
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. current — of water
  16. firm — a company
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. firm — steady
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. current — happening now
  23. firm — decided
  24. racket — for tennis

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