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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
468
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: coach · deal · field · charge · band · track · arm · straw

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. track — to keep track
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. band — a ring
  9. charge — in control
  10. track — a path
  11. field — a subject
  12. charge — electricity
  13. band — a music group
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. charge — a price
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. field — for sport
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. track — a song
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. field — farmland
  23. coach — a trainer
  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