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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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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: straw · ruler · mouse · charge · calf · pound · bat · pass

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. charge — a price
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pound — a weight
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — the animal
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pass — a permit
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. charge — electricity

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