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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: charge · mate · ground · stand · land · fine · content · craft

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. ground — crushed
  5. mate — a partner
  6. ground — the earth
  7. mate — to breed
  8. charge — electricity
  9. craft — a skill
  10. mate — a friend
  11. charge — a price
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. craft — boats
  14. land — to come down
  15. charge — in control
  16. content — the amount
  17. land — ground
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fine — all right
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. ground — a position
  24. content — happy

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