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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: stock · stand · saw · drill · charge · sharp · face · cabinet

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. drill — a practice
  4. face — part of the head
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. drill — army training
  7. sharp — clever
  8. stock — shares
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — electricity
  11. saw — the tool
  12. drill — the tool
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. stock — goods
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — to confront
  21. charge — a price
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. saw — the tool

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