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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: stand · stick · staff · swing · can · charge

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — in golf
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. swing — music
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. charge — a price
  12. can — a tin
  13. staff — employees
  14. can — a tin
  15. staff — employees
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. can — to be able to

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