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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
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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: file · stand · hand · nail · rush · ground · charge · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. file — a tool
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. file — a line of people
  8. hand — in cards
  9. ground — the earth
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — a position
  13. stand — to bear
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. rush — hurry
  21. hand — help
  22. charge — in control
  23. file — a document
  24. charge — a price

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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