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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: ground · straw · calf · perch · fall · charge · suit · chip

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. chip — to eat
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. suit — to fit
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. suit — in cards
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fall — to drop
  9. ground — crushed
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. charge — a price
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fall — the season
  17. ground — the earth
  18. fall — to drop
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. charge — electricity
  23. ground — a position
  24. charge — in control

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