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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: march · bore · pound · racket · charge · can · straw · track

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. can — to be able to
  3. track — a path
  4. march — the month
  5. bore — to drill
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. can — a tin
  8. track — a song
  9. march — the month
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. charge — a price
  15. pound — a weight
  16. can — a tin
  17. march — music
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. track — to keep track
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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