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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 116 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: rush · charge · mug · march · stand · wind · current · band

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. charge — in control
  9. mug — a face
  10. march — the month
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. march — the month
  14. band — a music group
  15. charge — electricity
  16. march — music
  17. rush — hurry
  18. band — a ring
  19. current — happening now
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. stand — to bear
  23. charge — a price
  24. stand — for spectators

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