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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: bear · charge · staff · row · firm · rule · march · straw

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. charge — in control
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bear — the animal
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. row — to paddle
  9. staff — employees
  10. rule — government
  11. charge — a price
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. charge — electricity
  14. march — the month
  15. staff — employees
  16. row — a line
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. march — the month
  19. rule — a law
  20. firm — a company
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. staff — a stick
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bear — the animal

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