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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: mug · mine · charge · can · board · straw · row · rock

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mine — for digging
  5. charge — in control
  6. mug — to rob
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. can — a tin
  12. mug — a cup
  13. charge — electricity
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. row — to paddle
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. can — to be able to
  21. charge — a price
  22. row — a line
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. mug — a face

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