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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: leaves · stick · bank · content · deal · bay · charge · wind

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. content — the amount
  3. bank — of a river
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. charge — a price
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bank — for money
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bank — for money
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. content — happy
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wind — moving air
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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