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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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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: kid · firm · bay · bank · charge · pound · cabinet · club

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. club — for dancing
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. firm — decided
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bank — of a river
  8. charge — in control
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. kid — child
  14. club — for golf
  15. charge — a price
  16. pound — a weight
  17. firm — a company
  18. kid — to tease
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bank — for money
  21. club — a group
  22. firm — steady
  23. bank — for money
  24. cabinet — ministers

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