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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 116 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: charge · present · straw · pop · safe · pound · wave · track

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. present — the time now
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pop — soda
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. present — there
  9. charge — a price
  10. pop — to visit
  11. track — a path
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. track — a song
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. present — a gift
  20. charge — in control
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pound — a weight
  23. charge — electricity
  24. track — to keep track

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