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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: saw · band · stand · chip · firm · swing · charge · rush

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. firm — a company
  9. rush — hurry
  10. chip — for betting
  11. charge — in control
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. charge — a price
  14. firm — decided
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. swing — to play on
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. chip — to eat
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — music
  23. charge — electricity
  24. firm — steady

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