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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: wake · season · stand · current · court · chip · nail · charge

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. current — happening now
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. court — of a king
  8. wake — a trail
  9. charge — a price
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. court — for sport
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. court — of law
  16. current — electric
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. chip — to eat
  21. current — of water
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. nail — on a finger

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