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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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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: kid · firm · bay · bank · charge · pound

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bank — for money
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bank — for money
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — to tease
  13. charge — a price
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. firm — a company
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pound — to hit hard

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