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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: ground · scale · nail · toast · charge · stem · straw · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  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 — for spectators
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. ground — crushed
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. stem — to come from
  6. ground — the earth
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. ground — a position
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. charge — a price
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stand — to bear
  16. scale — in music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. scale — size or range
  20. toast — bread
  21. charge — in control
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. toast — the most admired
  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