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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: land · present · rush · cap · row · hand · firm · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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 — in control
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. charge — a price
  5. row — a line
  6. cap — a lid
  7. charge — electricity
  8. rush — hurry
  9. present — there
  10. land — to come down
  11. firm — steady
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. land — ground
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. present — a gift
  16. firm — a company
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — help
  20. land — a country
  21. row — to paddle
  22. firm — decided
  23. rush — to hurry
  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