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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: cold · charge · mark · ruler · stand · nail · firm · rash

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. firm — a company
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. firm — steady
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. charge — electricity
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. mark — a trace
  19. firm — decided
  20. cold — not warm
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rash — hasty
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rash — a series

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