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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.

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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 · rule · kick · spell · wind · bank · fan · firm

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. firm — a company
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. wind — moving air
  5. spell — a short time
  6. charge — in control
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. kick — in football
  9. firm — steady
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bank — for money
  12. firm — decided
  13. rule — a law
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — government
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. spell — letters
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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