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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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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: cap · fork · deal · roll · chest · wave · fan · club

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fork — in a road
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — for golf
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. cap — of ice
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — a list
  16. cap — a lid
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. chest — of your body
  19. deal — to handle
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. club — a group
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cap — a hat

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