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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.

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: stand · fork · chip · nail · charge · fan · can · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. charge — electricity
  3. can — a tin
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stand — to bear
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. can — a tin
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. charge — a price
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fork — in a road
  17. chip — for betting
  18. charge — in control
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. chip — to eat
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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