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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 116 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: rest · band · fan · court · charge · wave · lie · bass

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — in control
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bass — low music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. band — a music group
  10. charge — a price
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. rest — what's left
  18. charge — electricity
  19. court — of law
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — for sport
  23. rest — a break
  24. band — a ring

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