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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. rash — a series
  3. fine — high quality
  4. charge — a price
  5. suit — to fit
  6. charge — electricity
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bank — for money
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bank — for money
  12. chip — for betting
  13. charge — in control
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fine — all right
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pound — a weight

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