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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kid · stand · season · pitcher · lie · rash · mouse · charge

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. charge — a price
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. kid — child
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. charge — in control
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rash — hasty
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. season — in sport
  19. stand — to bear
  20. charge — electricity
  21. season — of the year
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rash — a series
  24. kid — to tease

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