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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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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: fork · deal · charge · present · cue · stand · nail · file

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. cue — a signal
  4. present — the time now
  5. file — a tool
  6. fork — in a road
  7. charge — a price
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. cue — a hint
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — in control
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. file — a document
  17. deal — to handle
  18. file — a line of people
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. present — there
  22. cue — for pool
  23. charge — electricity
  24. present — a gift

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