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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: face · mouse · track · spring · file · charge · straw · bay

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  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. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. spring — the season
  4. face — to point toward
  5. track — to keep track
  6. face — to confront
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. charge — in control
  10. file — a document
  11. spring — of water
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. file — a tool
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. track — a path
  19. file — a line of people
  20. spring — a coil
  21. face — part of the head
  22. track — a song
  23. charge — a price
  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