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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: track · pound · charge · staff · bat · lash · safe · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. charge — electricity
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. track — a path
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. staff — a stick
  7. charge — in control
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. staff — employees
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. staff — employees
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. charge — a price
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bat — the animal
  23. pound — a weight
  24. track — a song

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