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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: pound · bank · stand · file · charge · rush · deal · hand

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. charge — a price
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. hand — in cards
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a tool
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. charge — in control
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. stand — to bear
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. file — a line of people
  22. pound — a weight
  23. hand — help
  24. bank — of a river

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