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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: wind · foot · charge · stand · rest · fan · lie · craft

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. charge — a price
  7. stand — to bear
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rest — what's left
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wind — moving air
  17. lie — to recline
  18. charge — in control
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wind — moving air
  21. foot — a measure
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rest — what's left
  24. craft — boats

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