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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: chair · trunk · date · charge · sharp · ruler · stand · nail

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. stand — to bear
  19. charge — in control
  20. sharp — clever
  21. chair — a leader
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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