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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 · wave · lean · kid · roll · charge · pit · net

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. net — for catching
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. charge — in control
  7. net — in sport
  8. saw — the tool
  9. kid — to tease
  10. charge — a price
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pit — in a race
  15. lean — thin
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — a list
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. net — after costs
  20. kid — child
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pit — a hole
  24. lean — to bend

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