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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 120 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. charge — in control
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. present — there
  6. present — the time now
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. charge — electricity
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. track — to keep track
  11. craft — a skill
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. track — a path
  14. present — a gift
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. track — a song
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. craft — boats

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