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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: pound · bear · can · charge · fork · squash · straw · cue

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. can — a tin
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. cue — a hint
  6. can — to be able to
  7. charge — a price
  8. squash — the sport
  9. pound — a weight
  10. cue — for pool
  11. charge — electricity
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. fork — in a road
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bear — the animal

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