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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: stand · march · rest · pitcher · current · rush · plane · charge

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rest — a break
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. current — happening now
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. current — electric
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. charge — in control
  15. march — the month
  16. charge — a price
  17. current — of water
  18. stand — to bear
  19. charge — electricity
  20. march — the month
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rest — what's left

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