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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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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: charge · file · lash · stand · ground · toast · wind · calf

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. ground — the earth
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. file — a tool
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. charge — electricity
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. toast — bread
  13. file — a document
  14. wind — moving air
  15. charge — in control
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wind — moving air
  18. ground — crushed
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. stand — to bear
  22. file — a line of people
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ground — a position

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