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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: charge · stand · plane · date · coach · wound · object · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wound — an injury
  7. date — the fruit
  8. charge — electricity
  9. object — a thing
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. charge — in control
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. object — an aim
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. wound — an injury
  19. charge — a price
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. object — to protest
  24. stand — for spectators

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