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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ground · charge · row · stand · pit · fine · tube · cabinet

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pit — in a race
  4. charge — a price
  5. fine — all right
  6. pit — a hole
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. fine — high quality
  10. charge — in control
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ground — a position
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ground — the earth
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. ground — crushed
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. tube — a container
  22. charge — electricity
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. stand — for spectators

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