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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wind · trunk · stand · bank · hand · present · fan · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. charge — in control
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. wind — moving air
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bank — of a river
  18. present — a gift
  19. hand — help
  20. present — there
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. charge — a price
  23. stand — to bear
  24. present — the time now

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