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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.

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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: chip · stand · present · charge · bear · fan · prune · ground

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. present — a gift
  4. ground — the earth
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. present — the time now
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. chip — for betting
  10. stand — to bear
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. charge — electricity
  14. present — there
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. charge — in control
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. charge — a price
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ground — crushed
  24. fan — a supporter

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