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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: pitcher · straw · rule · safe · stock · charge · firm · craft

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. rule — a law
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. firm — a company
  5. charge — in control
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. firm — steady
  8. charge — electricity
  9. craft — a skill
  10. charge — a price
  11. craft — boats
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — government
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — shares
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. firm — decided
  22. stock — goods
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. safe — out of danger

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