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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: stand · can · chest · deal · charge · kick · suit · wake

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. chest — of your body
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. can — a tin
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. charge — in control
  12. suit — in cards
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stand — to bear
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. chest — of your body
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wake — a trail
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. chest — a box
  23. kick — in football
  24. can — to be able to

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