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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: lean · net · rush · wave · rash · pass · sharp · current

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. net — after costs
  4. rash — a series
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rush — hurry
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. current — happening now
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. net — in sport
  15. sharp — clever
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. current — of water
  20. rash — hasty
  21. current — electric
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lean — thin
  24. sharp — with an edge

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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