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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: racket · bat · calf · deal · current · last · straw · charge

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. last — finally
  6. charge — in control
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. deal — to handle
  12. charge — a price
  13. bat — the animal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. last — final
  17. current — electric
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. current — happening now
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. current — of water
  24. straw — a straw man

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