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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: clip · hand · stand · bank · firm · deal · charge · club

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  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. deal — a big deal
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. club — for golf
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. firm — decided
  9. bank — for money
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. firm — a company
  14. bank — of a river
  15. hand — help
  16. clip — to cut
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. clip — for paper
  20. firm — steady
  21. charge — a price
  22. hand — in cards
  23. clip — a video
  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