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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.

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: tube · straw · pitcher · calf · charge · arm · bass · lean

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. tube — a container
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bass — the fish
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. lean — thin
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lean — to bend
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. tube — the underground

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