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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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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: stick · stand · bore · wind · race · charge · can · lie

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. charge — electricity
  6. can — a tin
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. race — humankind
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. race — the arms race
  13. wind — moving air
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. charge — a price
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. race — a contest
  18. lie — to recline
  19. charge — in control
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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