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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: fall · wave · present · fan · charge · roll · bowl · rush

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rush — hurry
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fall — to drop
  7. present — there
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. charge — in control
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. charge — a price
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. roll — a list
  19. present — the time now
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. present — a gift
  24. fan — to cool the air

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