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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: charge · suit · hide · straw · stick · bulb · racket · bat

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. suit — in cards
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. charge — in control
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bulb — for light
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bulb — for light
  24. suit — clothes

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