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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: deal · club · track · calf · stand · mug · straw · charge

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mug — a cup
  5. track — a path
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. track — a song
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. club — a group
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. charge — in control
  15. club — for dancing
  16. deal — to handle
  17. club — for golf
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. track — to keep track
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. straw — dry grass

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