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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: racket · staff · spring · bowl · charge · present · season · straw

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. present — a gift
  5. charge — electricity
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. charge — a price
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. season — of the year
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. spring — the season
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. charge — in control
  22. season — in sport
  23. staff — employees
  24. spring — of water

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