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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: deal · fall · stock · band · stand · firm · racket · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. fall — to drop
  3. firm — steady
  4. stand — to bear
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. stock — goods
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. firm — decided
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stock — shares
  15. firm — a company
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fall — the season
  18. charge — in control
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. charge — a price
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. deal — to handle

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