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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: rash · stand · can · charge · chest · racket · rock · content

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. charge — a price
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. charge — in control
  6. rock — music
  7. chest — a box
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — hasty
  16. can — a tin
  17. chest — of your body
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. can — a tin
  20. rock — a stone
  21. chest — of your body
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. content — happy
  24. content — the amount

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