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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: stand · suit · charge · tube · object · mate · pass · hand

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. charge — electricity
  5. mate — to breed
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. charge — in control
  10. mate — a partner
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. suit — to fit
  14. hand — in cards
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. charge — a price
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mate — a friend
  22. stand — to bear
  23. object — an aim
  24. pass — a permit

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