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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 120 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: track · wave · present · firm · rash · pit · straw · charge

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. charge — in control
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pit — a hole
  6. firm — decided
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. charge — a price
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. track — a song
  12. present — a gift
  13. firm — a company
  14. pit — in a race
  15. track — a path
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. rash — a series
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. firm — steady

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