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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: bank · charge · squash · wind · firm · cap · calf · stick

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cap — a hat
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. firm — decided
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. firm — a company
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. squash — to crush
  11. charge — a price
  12. cap — of ice
  13. charge — in control
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. charge — electricity
  17. firm — steady
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bank — for money
  20. cap — a lid
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. squash — the sport
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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