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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: saw · mate · current · pitcher · sharp · arm · wave · jam

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. saw — the tool
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mate — a friend
  10. sharp — clever
  11. mate — a partner
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. current — electric
  16. mate — to breed
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. current — of water
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. current — happening now

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