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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 · wake · present · charge · nail · firm · craft · pitcher

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. present — a gift
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. present — there
  6. present — the time now
  7. firm — steady
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. charge — in control
  16. wake — a trail
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. craft — a skill
  20. firm — decided
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. stand — to bear
  24. firm — a company

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