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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: fan · mark · nail · wave · field · mine · rock · charge

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — farmland
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mark — a grade
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mine — for digging
  24. field — for sport

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