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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: wind · wave · bowl · racket · charge · cap

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. charge — in control
  11. wind — moving air
  12. cap — a lid
  13. charge — a price
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice

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