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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.

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: bank · racket · dip · fan · straw · charge · wave · staff

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. staff — employees
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. charge — a price
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. staff — a stick
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. staff — employees
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bank — for money
  22. charge — in control
  23. dip — to sink
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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