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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 120 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: band · charge · mark · kick · coach · stick · stand · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. band — a music group
  4. charge — in control
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. band — a ring
  9. charge — a price
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. stand — to bear
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mark — a grade
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. kick — in football

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