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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: current · ruler · wave · pound · bulb · coach · charge · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. current — of water
  3. bulb — for light
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. current — electric
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. charge — in control
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bulb — for light
  16. charge — a price
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. current — happening now
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. charge — electricity
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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