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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
468
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: rash · charge · tube · stand · wave · game · craft · present

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. craft — boats
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rash — hasty
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. craft — a skill
  14. tube — the underground
  15. charge — in control
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. present — the time now
  18. charge — a price
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. tube — a container
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. charge — electricity

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