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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 116 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: bear · tear · charge · deal · rush · bank · firm · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. tear — from crying
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. tear — to rip
  8. firm — a company
  9. charge — a price
  10. bear — the animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. rush — hurry
  13. deal — to handle
  14. charge — electricity
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. firm — decided
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. charge — in control
  24. bank — for money

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