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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · fan · charge · court · bank · kick · safe · band

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  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. fan — to cool the air
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. band — a music group
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bank — for money
  6. band — a ring
  7. bank — of a river
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. charge — in control
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kick — in football
  15. charge — a price
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. charge — electricity
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. court — of a king
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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