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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: charge · sharp · bay · straw · bear · bulb · saw · coach

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bear — the animal
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. saw — the tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. coach — a trainer

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