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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 116 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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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: charge · coach · straw · stick · calf · ruler · face · pass

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. charge — in control
  3. face — to confront
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. charge — a price
  10. face — to point toward
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. pass — to succeed

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