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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: rock · nail · charge · mouse · spring · racket · straw · track

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. track — a path
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. spring — the season
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. charge — in control
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. track — to keep track
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. charge — a price
  19. spring — a coil
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. track — a song
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. racket — for tennis

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