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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.

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: track · leaves · straw · current · charge · pitcher · chair · ball

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. charge — electricity
  5. current — of water
  6. track — a path
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. charge — a price
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. track — to keep track
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. current — happening now
  14. ball — a great time
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. ball — a dance
  20. charge — in control
  21. track — a song
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pitcher — a jug

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