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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: lean · charge · straw · pitcher · firm · chip · bear · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. charge — a price
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. firm — a company
  6. chip — for betting
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. charge — in control
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. charge — electricity
  11. firm — decided
  12. lean — thin
  13. bear — the animal
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bear — the animal
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. firm — steady
  21. lean — to bend
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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