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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: jam · bore · stand · charge · pit · straw · fan · scale

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. charge — electricity
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pit — in a race
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. charge — a price
  13. pit — a hole
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. charge — in control
  20. stand — to bear
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bore — gave birth

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