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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: roll · wave · fan · stock · cap · pitch · rush · deal

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stock — shares
  11. cap — a lid
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. deal — to handle
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. stock — goods
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. roll — a cake

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