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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: jam · fan · charge · calf · roll · straw · wind · mate

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. charge — a price
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. charge — in control
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. charge — electricity
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. roll — a cake
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mate — a partner
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. roll — a list
  20. mate — a friend
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. mate — to breed

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