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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: content · straw · charge · club · bowl · sharp · firm · rush

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. club — for golf
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. content — the amount
  8. charge — electricity
  9. sharp — clever
  10. club — for dancing
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. charge — in control
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. charge — a price
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. club — a group
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. firm — decided
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. rush — hurry
  24. content — happy

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