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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 · charge · prune · perch · chip · current · wake · chair

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wake — a trail
  3. current — happening now
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. charge — a price
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. charge — in control
  8. prune — to trim
  9. current — of water
  10. chip — for betting
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. charge — electricity
  18. prune — to trim
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. current — electric
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chip — to eat

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