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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: wound · fan · wave · press · hand · race · jam · charge

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. press — newspapers
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. press — to push
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. race — a contest
  11. charge — electricity
  12. wound — an injury
  13. charge — a price
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. charge — in control
  17. race — humankind
  18. hand — help
  19. race — the arms race
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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