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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: present · wave · rock · fine · wind · cabinet · net · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. present — the time now
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wind — moving air
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. net — for catching
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. present — there
  16. net — after costs
  17. fine — all right
  18. net — in sport
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. present — a gift
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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