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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 · rush · content · hide · rest · bulb · charge · arm

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. charge — electricity
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. content — happy
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. charge — in control
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. charge — a price
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. content — the amount
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rush — hurry
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bulb — for light
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stand — on your feet

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