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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.

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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: fork · stand · charge · wind · toast · arm · fall · rush

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. fall — to drop
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. charge — in control
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fall — to drop
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. charge — a price
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wind — moving air
  18. fork — in a road
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. fall — the season
  21. rush — hurry
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. arm — part of the body

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