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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: charge · deal · bear · bank · bay · hand · pop · arm

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. charge — electricity
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pop — to visit
  5. charge — a price
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. charge — in control
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bear — the animal
  12. hand — help
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bear — the animal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — soda
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bank — for money
  24. hand — in cards

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