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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. charge — a price
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. charge — in control
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bore — to tire
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — help
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. bore — to drill

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