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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 120 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 · patient · row · pop · charge · sharp · trunk · can

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. can — a tin
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. row — to paddle
  8. can — to be able to
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. can — a tin
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. row — a line
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — soda
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pop — music

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