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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: swing · kid · ruler · toast · stand · charge

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — child
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. charge — a price
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. swing — in golf
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. charge — in control
  11. stand — to bear
  12. swing — music
  13. kid — to tease
  14. charge — electricity
  15. toast — bread
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. swing — to play on

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