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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.

Make a worksheet

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: racket · charge · wake · pit · fan · mug · lie · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. charge — in control
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mug — a face
  6. charge — a price
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — a hole
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. charge — electricity
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mug — to rob
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wake — a trail
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wake — before a funeral

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