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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: cabinet · fan · wind · charge · pound · object · rock · mine

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. object — a thing
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mine — for digging
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. charge — a price
  11. rock — music
  12. object — to protest
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. pound — a weight
  16. object — an aim
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wind — moving air

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