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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: file · wave · nail · charge · stand · saw · rest · present

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. file — a document
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. rest — what's left
  7. charge — electricity
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rest — what's left
  11. charge — a price
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rest — a break
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stand — to bear
  16. file — a tool
  17. present — the time now
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. present — a gift
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. file — a line of people
  22. charge — in control
  23. saw — the tool
  24. present — there

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