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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: lean · board · club · charge · pitcher · craft · stand · wind

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wind — moving air
  3. lean — thin
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. craft — boats
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stand — to bear
  8. club — for golf
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. board — a committee
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wind — moving air
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. charge — in control
  21. lean — to bend
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. charge — a price

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