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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 116 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: firm · perch · lash · charge · land · present · stand · rest

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. firm — steady
  4. present — there
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. charge — a price
  7. firm — a company
  8. stand — to bear
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. charge — in control
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — ground
  14. land — a country
  15. rest — what's left
  16. firm — decided
  17. present — the time now
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rest — what's left
  22. charge — electricity
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rest — a break

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