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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: hand · straw · object · perch · charge · squash · nail · season

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. charge — in control
  3. object — to protest
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. season — in sport
  7. hand — help
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. charge — electricity
  11. squash — the sport
  12. season — of the year
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. squash — to crush
  17. charge — a price
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — a thing
  20. perch — the fish
  21. hand — in cards
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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