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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stick · drill · kick · bear · mug · track · straw · charge

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. charge — in control
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. track — a path
  5. mug — to rob
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — the tool
  9. track — a song
  10. mug — a cup
  11. charge — a price
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mug — a face
  15. kick — in football
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. charge — electricity
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kick — with a leg

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